Ships in Port Belch Carbon Emissions. Solutions are on the Way.
The Impact of Slow Port Turnaround
Port call turnaround is how long it takes for a vessel to enter a port, berth, load or unload its cargo, and complete maintenance and refuelling.
The scale of delays in turnaround is massive. A study by University College London (UCL) and consultancy UMAS which analysed ship movements between 2018-2022 found that ships waste 15-22 days per year waiting at anchor outside large ports before being given a berth. Optimising port arrivals could reduce voyage emissions anywhere from about 10 percent for container ships and dry bulkers to 25 percent for chemical tankers.
Data from Linerlytica just for large ports showed that 2.5 million 20-foot equivalent units were waiting at anchorages in mid-June 2024, according to the Vietnam Investment Review. Singapore saw a 4–5-day delay in berthing, for example, and neighbouring ports at Port Klang and Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia had delays of 2-3 days. The reasons for the delays include an influx of ships from demand surges, labour or equipment shortages in port operations, time-consuming customs clearance, inadequate storage facilities, weather, poor infrastructure and reliance on manual processes.
Port Efficiency Solutions
Waiting hours or even days to enter a port generates emissions and wastes valuable time, S&P Global observed. Each wasted hour in port can be linked to a certain number of metric tons of fuel and associated costs and emissions. The industry is moving to reduce these wait times as well as speed up cargo loading and unloading and ship departure processes by starting to use Port Call Optimisation (PCO), which would save money and improve customer satisfaction.
The Global Maritime Forum noted that better coordination of vessel arrivals at ports that use PCO can unlock significant operational and environmental benefits. It enables ships to adjust speed based on real-time port readiness, ensuring they arrive when berth space and nautical services are available. The approach reduces idle time, improves efficiencies, lowers the risk of accidents, cuts fuel consumption and reduces emissions.
Changes are indeed underway. UOB said more than 20 percent of the 4,900 ports globally have already enhanced their digital capabilities to ensure supply chain connectivity. Digital transformation is modernising ports, reshaping logistics, optimising processes, and improving efficiency throughout the supply chain. Projects in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Indonesia utilise cutting-edge technologies such as automation, blockchain, the Internet of Things (IoT) and AI to optimise efficiency, promote sustainability, and ensure traceability within their port operations.
Start-ups Providing Solutions
Large companies have been working on solutions for some time. More recently, start-ups in Southeast Asia have been leveraging AI and other tools to develop and sell solutions to solve the problem.
Singapore-headquartered ePort, for instance, streamlines and digitises data flows from port services to cargo owners through its online port data visibility platform, eLSA. It captures real-time data on every port event, so cargo managers and ship operators can make better decisions. E-Port, established in 2020, says eLSA is “your eyes and ears, digitally following each ship-in-port event, so you capture every opportunity.”
Another is Innovez-One, also in Singapore, which created marineM, a port management information system that streamline everything from planning to billing of a vessel visit. It provides port call visit management, service orders and returns management, ship database management, incident management, marine job planner and vessel schedules, AI-based marine scheduling engine and berth planning. It auto-assigns pilots, tugs and launch boats. It also accounts for the tidal window, considers resource constraints and tracks vessel schedules and movements.
MagicPort says it uses digital tools, network and intelligence to run efficient port call and ship operations. Its software for managing port calls simplifies operations and eliminates manual works and mistakes. MagicPort combines maritime industry and internal operational data to generate visibility and intelligence that improves efficiency and reduces costs during ships’ port visits. It has already saved 10 million tons of CO2 per year with just-in-time operations and reduced idling. MagicPort said its long-term vision is to connect charterers, ship owners and managers with terminals, trusted agents, suppliers to enable efficient port calls.
More narrowly specialised solutions such as one that tracks container and onshore truck availability or another that links shippers with everyone from customs and port authorities to terminal operators and inspection agencies are also available.
Portcast, for instance, says it delivers trustworthy data analytics and insights about containers through innovative technology and AI. It provides real-time container tracking by aggregating information from carriers, ports, satellites and other sources for external risk evaluation. It also helps with demand forecasting by analysing changes to external indicators real-time. The result for shippers is more robust international supply chains and better preparation to withstand external disruptions such as congestion, adverse weather conditions and policy changes.
While there are still plenty of ports and shipping companies that are not using the solutions yet, more are beginning to use them every day. Less wasted time, more efficient sailing, fewer delays, lower costs and reduced emissions will benefit everyone from global shipping giants and port operators to factories and even individual consumers that use the cargoes.
