Navigating new horizons: Why modernising maritime ports matters

Despite the clear benefits of modernisation, many ports are still struggling to get there.

Imagine a port where longshore personnel, empowered by artificial intelligence (AI), can coordinate autonomous cranes to unload mega-container ships with real-time data shared seamlessly between terminal operators, shipping lines and customs agencies. In the background, secure blockchain technology ensures transparent tracking, giving customs agents real-time cargo updates. Intuitive and interoperable platforms help coordinate pilotage, towage, bunker services and supplies more efficiently—reducing time ships spend at anchorages. There are fewer bottlenecks, higher cargo volumes, and safer employees. 

Ports like Singapore and Rotterdam are already leading this future, where smart sensors and AI-driven logistics enable efficient, sustainable and resilient operations. However, despite the clear benefits of modernisation, many ports are still struggling to get there. Recognising and addressing the challenges of modernisation through digitisation is essential to meeting the demands of the future. Ports that dismiss reinvention and fall behind risk being bypassed by shipping lines.

Anchoring to ecosystems 
High costs, operational disruption, siloed legacy systems, and data-sharing concerns are common challenges in many industries. But when they are affecting ports, they can have significant global repercussions. During the Suez Canal blockage in 2021, an estimated $9.6b in global trade was disrupted every day. Partnerships across the maritime ecosystem enabled by digital tools can bolster the resilience of global supply chains—and port authorities are uniquely positioned to drive this collaboration. 

Starting from building clear business cases tailored to each party’s goals, ports can align their stakeholders and establish trust around shared objectives. This will form the foundation for an interoperable system and ambitious modernisation with security embedded at every level. Crucial to that is establishing a strong “digital core”—a shared technology capability that brings together key components like cloud, data, AI, and security to drive reinvention and enables organisations to adapt swiftly to change. 

Examples such as Maritime Port Authority of Singapore’s Just-in-Time (JIT) platform or Port of Rotterdam’s PortXchange, which helped generate a 20% reduction in wait times, showcase how successful partnerships depend on data sharing. Not all data needs to be shared, and leveraging technologies such as decentralised blockchain can ensure transparency and traceable access management. Moreover, although it might seem counterintuitive, data-sharing can actually improve cybersecurity—helping to identify risks through shared intelligence, resources, and best practices. Better coordination between ports, ocean carriers, and terminals can in turn enhance resilience of global supply chains.

Putting workforce at the heart of change
For digital modernisation to succeed, ports cannot impose new technologies on workforces and expect their buy-in. They must engage the people who will use the new tools every day—turning potential resistance into enthusiasm. Underlining improvements in safety, job quality, and professional development will not only ease employees into accepting new solutions but importantly empower them to shape and improve them.

Addressing skills shortages and providing clear paths for development from the start will also be key. Whilst initially addressing apprehension from workforce and unions, in the long term taking a collaborative approach to upskilling and reskilling will create a more attractive work environment that draws in and retains skilled talent.

Workforce Singapore’s Career Conversion Programme for Sea Transport Professionals and Associates offers salary support for mid-career professionals to undergo skills conversion and take on new roles in port operations. By focusing on key areas like digitisation, decarbonisation, and cybersecurity, the CCP has upskilled over 340 individuals since 2019, ensuring the workforce is equipped for the future.

Scaling your vision 
We have built the foundation, secured opt-ins from partners and encouraged our people to embrace change—but how can we overcome high cost and operational disruption to make our vision take shape? As a first step, it’s crucial to take an outcomes-driven approach, viewing digitisation not as the goal in itself, but as an enabler of broader operational objectives. And start with quick wins.

Integrating IT into existing capital infrastructure projects is an easy way to deliver high-impact quickly. For example, using advanced data for truck gates and deliveries can set the stage for future technologies like autonomous vehicles or AI-driven maintenance. AI-powered maintenance can help monitor equipment in real time, using data from IoT sensors to predict when critical machinery might need maintenance. This can in turn help reduce downtime and prevent unexpected failures—reducing costs. The Port of Rotterdam has embedded smart sensors along the quay walls to collect valuable structural data. The new solution, embedded into existing infrastructure, boosted the return on capital investments by showing that quay walls have a longer lifespan than expected.

Keeping stakeholders engaged is crucial along the process; and communicating the long-term value and strategy will help maintain support. Plan for systems that can be built on rather than replaced. This is why many port leaders we talk to emphasise the importance of pilot projects. Leveraging pilots to support potential cost reductions and operational efficiencies with measurable evidence makes it easier to gather momentum for larger investments. It also allows organisations to test the performance metrics of new technologies before wide-scale implementation. The Port Innovation, Engagement and Research (PIER) center at the Port of Halifax offers a great case study of how pilot hubs can foster innovation and collaboration across the maritime industry. Its notable projects include implementing AI for real-time emissions monitoring and deploying autonomous surface vessels like the WasteShark to remove floating pollution from waterways.

As the global economy grows in both size and complexity, port ecosystems face mounting pressure to modernise and shift to smarter infrastructures. Digital transformation is no longer just a buzzword. And the time for change is now. Whilst the modernisation journey presents challenges, it also offers huge opportunities. It is a necessity for staying competitive in the global market. By embracing new technologies and strategies outlined above, ports can streamline operations, reduce costs, and enhance safety. Crucially, it will help secure and grow their role in the global economy for years to come.