A Port Technology Container Terminal Automation Conference (#CTAC2018) debate has explored how artificial intelligence (AI) may affect the control rooms of container terminals at ports.
During day two of the conference, a discussion about driving terminal performance changed direction when data became the focus, with Dr. Yvo Saanen, Commercial Director and Founder of TBA, explaining that the “huge potential” behind moving boxes could be unlocked with a proactive attitude towards new technology such as AI.
Dr. Saanen said that ship loading and yard movements were areas that could become much more predictive, which is where current AI technology could add “tremendous value”.
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Responding to Dr. Saanen’s statement, Peter Miedema, Vice President, Professional Services, EMEA at Navis, said: “We have focused on the patterns of the automation and people still work with the same tools that we’ve had in the past and it’s challenging for them to be proactive.
“The next step would be first to give them the tools to be more proactive and, over time, I think that needs to be replaced with AI-type solutions that recognize what’s happening, recognize certain exceptions and then start to react to that.”
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Miedema added that AI would influence the control room user interface (UI) of container shipping, with his colleague, Dr. Oscar Pernia, Vice President of Applied Innovation at Navis, supporting his comments.
Commenting from the conference floor, Dr. Pernia said: “Control room user interface is an area for artificial intelligence and machine learning applications, but first we need to improve the user experience itself … first we need to capture the user analytics.”
