Ports & Terminals are facilities that connect land and water for ocean freight shipping and the movement of passengers across borders via the ocean. They have played an important role in the economic & cultural development of a country.

1. How Does Advanced Technology
Impact Ports and Terminals?
Ports & Terminals are facilities that connect land and water for
ocean freight shipping and the movement of passengers across
borders via the ocean. They have played an important role in the
economic & cultural development of a country. These facilities are
huge and consist of several terminals for the influx and outflux of
goods and passengers. Managing such large numbers of passengers
and freight requires infrastructure and facilities as port
functions include:
1. Berthing and anchoring services
2. Cargo movement services or freight management
3. Road and rail connectivity for multimodal transportation
4. Point of customs & immigration clearances
5. Storage and warehousing facilities
6. Billing and Invoicing facilities
All these functions are efficiently managed by software systems
based on AI, Machine Learning, IoT, and Big data for ports &
terminals.
What are the types of seaports?
Classification of ports is based on the entity being transported. If
it is for goods it is called a cargo port. If it is for passengers it is
called a cruise port. In both cases, heavy use of technology is
required for efficient functioning.
Cargo ports are of two types, based on the type of cargo they can
handle.
• Bulk cargo ports for loose goods like liquids, grains, etc.
• Containerized cargo ports for unitized cargo transported in
pallets, drums, etc

2. Terminal operating systems are integrated based on the type of
cargo being handled.
This is because different types of terminals are present on a port
for appropriate segregation and management.
Bulk cargo ports have separate terminals for
• dry cargo and
• liquid cargo.
Containerized cargo ports have
• Break-bulk (pallets, drums, boxes, pallets),
• neo-bulk (paper, steel, vehicles), and
• containerized terminals (for containers)
These terminals may be handled by different shipping companies or
terminal operators.
Impact of Advanced Technology on Ports & Terminals
Although technological advancements have been implemented
across several ports in the world, let us take a look at the list of
automated ports in the world so far.
1. Port of Rotterdam
2. Port of Singapore
3. Port of Shanghai
4. Port of Valencia
5. Port of Hamburg
6. Port of Barcelona
7. Port of Los Angeles
8. Port of Antwerp
9. Port Le Havre HAROPA
10. Copenhagen Malmo Port (CMP)
As with any other revolutionizing action in an industry, the shipping
industry to is facing it. Some downsides of the latest developments:
1. Implementing expenses- Developing an infrastructure for on-
site systems or getting a cloud-based system, are added
expenses and need some time until they reflect the benefits.

3. 2. Data security issues- With everything integrated on a single
platform there is a higher risk to all the data, leading to having
robust cyber security systems in place.
3. Training expenses- Integrating new technologies, requires
trained personnel. Training and upgradation of human resource
skills require additional investments and considerable time for
getting a hang of the new systems.
4. Job losses- Micro-level task management has resulted in job
losses in countries with automated ports.
Addressing these challenges can open a gateway for future-
ready ports & terminals across the globe. Private-public
partnerships, better cyber security systems, asking for training
assistance from system providers, and upskilling to learn new
technologies to prevent severe job losses are a few possible ways to
upturn these downsides.