On December 2nd, Mitsui E&S, Mitsui Warehouse, and Hitachi, Ltd. announced that they have begun on-site testing at the Kobe Port Rokko RC2 container terminal operated by Mitsui Warehouse, using AI technology to predict container cargo departure dates and plan their layout.
<Image of on-site demonstration>
The three companies have been awarded a contract for technology development work (FY2023-2025) under the Port Technology Development Program implemented by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. They are working on developing AI-powered technology to improve the efficiency of container terminal operations at ports. In the field demonstration, while utilizing Mitsui Warehouse's expertise in container terminal operations, Hitachi's AI will devise shipping date predictions, container placement plans, and cargo handling procedure plans based on container cargo characteristic data. These plans will then be verified and evaluated for efficiency using a cargo handling simulator developed by Mitsui E&S, and will be partially applied to actual operations. The field demonstration is scheduled to run until February 2026.
<Image of AI-generated cargo handling plan simulation>
Until now, container terminal operations have relied on the experience and expertise of skilled planners. However, recent increases in cargo volume and the rapidly changing nature of container cargo information have made planning operations even more complex. To address these environmental changes, the three companies are promoting the advancement of work planning through the use of digital technologies, including AI and simulation technologies, aiming to improve the efficiency and resilience of container terminal operations.
