Advait Thakur, IoT & Analytics Expert from Orange Business Service shares the latest in IoT and AI for the Maritime sector.
The maritime sector is at the
heart of the global economy and around 80 per cent of global trade by volume is
carried by sea and handled by ports worldwide. Technologies such as the
Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are combining to
dramatic effect in bringing a new level of intelligence to ports and creating
next generation ‘smart ports’.
Shipping has been transforming for some time but sea ports are now
catching up, with network connectivity, IoT, cloud computing and AI helping
drive digital transformation in ports around the world. Ports also face their
own distinctive challenges as they go through their digital transformation and
become ‘smart ports’ but with the added complexity of their ecosystems
including port authorities, customs, carriers, importers and exporters.
The future of shipping ports must be faster,
smarter, greener and connected
and, in order to be sustainable, they need to share information, follow best
practices and reduce carbon footprint.
Smart ports are using digital tools to make operations more
productive, safer, efficient and profitable. IoT, cloud computing and
ubiquitous network connectivity are now driving digital transformation in sea
ports the world over.
One exciting example of a digital port development is in
Rotterdam, the Netherlands, where IoT technologies, AI and cloud are driving
efficiencies and operational transformation, including collecting real-time
water, weather and communications data, analysing and processing it for ships
and port operators. The Port of Rotterdam has
also announced investments in AI applications to predict vessel arrival times
in the port.
Meanwhile, the Port of Antwerp in
Belgium is leveraging real-time data to drive operational improvement by using
NxtPort, an information-sharing platform. Antwerp’s goal is to become a
self-sustaining data-commercialisation organisation that gathers, stores,
analyses and exchanges data with all parties within its logistics operation.
These are encouraging use cases and help
demonstrate that digital applications can play a central role in a large number
of port and shipping operations, from logistics management to improving cargo
activities. They are also the first steps towards smart ports but choosing
which technologies to incorporate into a digital strategy for a port and
successfully deploying them is complex because of the ecosystem of
stakeholders.
