Posted On: 22-02-2022
The majority of the world’s 4,900 ports are not yet using digital technology for even the most basic processes, Innovez One, a Singapore-based provider of smart-tech and AI solutions for the maritime sector, said. As explained, 80 per cent of ports continue to rely on manual, legacy solutions such as whiteboards or spreadsheets to manage critical marine services such as towage, pilotage and launch boats. This leaves many ports commercially vulnerable and less able to compete in an increasingly digital world. While the phrase ‘smart ports’ has been used regularly within the maritime industry for a number of years, the benefits of digitalisation remain the preserve of only a few, large ‘Tier 1’ ports that have the profile and financial muscle. This has created a polarised landscape within the port sector, according to the tech company. “The current dynamic reflects the often-messy reality of port operations, which is a blend of high-tech digital and paper-based, manual replicas de relojes processes sitting side-by-side,” David Yeo, CEO, Innovez-One, commented. “This causes issues in relation to interoperability, where systems are not talking to each other properly, which is impeding effective execution. However, it also highlights the fact that while global supply chains are becoming increasingly automated, of which ports are an integral part, the majority of ports still overwhelmingly rely on person-to-person systems.”
