Seaports globally have increased their automation solutions or kickstarted automation initiatives to mitigate port congestion, according to ABI Research. In fact, equipment like gantries, automated port gates, stacking cranes and horizontal transport solutions, such as automated guided vehicles (AGVs) are experiencing worldwide deployments in seaports at a CAGR rate of over 26% from 2022-2027, exceeding 150,000 global deployments by 2027.
“Automation enhances the reliability, consistency, predictability (via data analytics) and security of port operations. From an environmental perspective, automation can lead to lower energy consumption, resulting in a reduced carbon footprint. Automated ports are also far safer than conventional ports. The number of human-related disruptions falls as performance becomes more predictable with automation and data capture solutions,” says Adhish Luitel, senior analyst, supply chain management and logistics at ABI Research.
From ABI Research:
- Port authorities have also been investing in future-proofing infrastructure and introducing 5G/LTE private networks covering entire port premises.
“Streamlined automation in ports also highlights the need for huge volumes of timely data that is required to control and monitor all the moving assets. To enable automated solutions to function to their fullest and work with each other, ports need to provide a level of data reliability in a cost-effective manner. For this, wireless connectivity is the best option,” Luitel adds.
