As the IAPH World Ports Conference (IAPH 2025) approaches this October in Kobe, Japan, Port Technology International spoke with Professor Ruth Banomyong, Commissioner at the Port Authority of Thailand and a prominent speaker at the conference, to explore the future of port operations.
With extensive experience spanning both government and industry, Professor Banomyong offers a rare vantage point on the forces reshaping global trade. In this conversation, he reflects on how ports can remain competitive, sustainable, and socially responsible, sharing practical insights on unlocking the value of port land, harnessing ESG frameworks effectively, and embracing innovation to create smarter, more connected operations.
In your upcoming IAPH 2025 session, you’ll discuss smarter concessions and flexible land use. Based on your experience with Thailand’s ports, what practical strategies have proven most effective in unlocking the full value of port land?
In my experience as port commissioner, I noticed that port land delivers the most value when concessions are structured as win–win partnerships, instead of rigid leases. We therefore need to enable some level of flexibility so that operators can adapt land use as markets change, whether for logistics, value-added services, or industrial activities. We have also built in performance and sustainability incentives, whilst aligning port development with growth engines like the Eastern Economic Corridor. This approach makes every square metre work harder for both the operator and the economy.
ESG-linked performance is becoming a hot topic in port operations. From your perspective, what are the real challenges in making these measures meaningful rather than just a box-ticking exercise?
For me, the first hurdle is reliable data; without it, neither investors nor regulators can trust the results. The second is that most ESG frameworks are global, whilst ports are faced with very different environmental and social realities. Finally, there are often gaps between the costs of doing ESG properly and the incentives concessionaires receive. To make it meaningful, ESG has to be built into concessions with clear goals, fair incentives, and genuine collaboration between port authorities, operators, and the communities around them.
Having worked both in government and the private sector, you’ve seen ports from multiple angles. How do you think authorities can strike the right balance between commercial ambitions and public interest?
I’ve learned that commercial goals and the public interest don’t have to clash. They can actually support each other. Authorities can set the big picture vision, whilst giving operators room to innovate and grow. The trick is making sure concessions and rules encourage investment and efficiency, but also deliver benefits for communities, connectivity, and the environment.
Multimodal transport and logistics development are areas you’ve studied for years. Are there any emerging trends or innovations that you think could really reshape port operations in the near future?
I think the game changer for ports will be the Physical Internet. It’s about moving goods the way we move data online, in standard, modular units that can flow easily across ships, trucks, trains, and warehouses. For ports, this could mean faster, smoother, and more predictable operations, turning them into true connection hubs rather than just transfer points.
What practical steps can port operators take to become smarter, more data-driven, and better at learning from experience?
Ports are already becoming smarter by using the data they have to guide daily decisions. I think that the sharing of data with partners such as shipping lines, terminals, and customs can help everyone work off the same playbook. Finally, every delay or disruption should be seen as a lesson, so the port keeps learning and improving. It’s about building a culture of using data to adapt, not just to record or comply.
Sea–land connectivity remains a pressing issue for ports worldwide. From your perspective, what practical steps are needed to integrate ports with inland logistics and trade corridors?
Better sea-to-land integration means thinking beyond the port gates. In my work related to freight connectivity, I emphasise that it is not only about building infrastructure but also about aligning regulations and information flows. Ports need strong links with inland hubs and dry ports, simplified and harmonised border rules, as well as digital platforms to connect all stakeholders. When the ‘hardware’ of infrastructure and the ‘software’ of institutions and data work together, ports can then become true gateways to trade rather than bottlenecks.
Professor Ruth Banomyong is currently serving as a Commissioner at the Port Authority of Thailand, where he also chairs the Committee on Asset Reform and Logistics Infrastructure Development and the Committee on Knowledge, Technology and Innovation Management. In addition, he is a board member of Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor Development Zone (EEC). He is a former Chairman of the Advisory Board to the Thai Minister of Commerce and currently advises the Thai Deputy Prime Minister responsible for security issues.
