The global maritime industry is at a decisive crossroads. Amid growing demands for supply chain resilience and accelerated digitalization, smart ports are transitioning from pilots to large-scale operational reality. By integrating technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and Digital Twins, these hubs are achieving unprecedented gains in efficiency, safety and sustainability. This transformation is not only redefining port operations but is also fundamentally reshaping the risk landscape and creating new opportunities for the marine insurance industry.
Global development status: A data-driven and regional landscape
The development of smart ports is accelerating worldwide, with regional strategies reflecting local industrial bases and policy objectives. Several unifying trends are emerging:
Data as a strategic asset: Integrated data ecosystems are breaking down traditional silos across the vessel–terminal–hinterland logistics chain. Among the top 20 global container ports, 90% now use intelligent scheduling systems and 78% have 5G private network coverage. The deployment of autonomous trucks and automated cranes has doubled since 2023, contributing to a 25-30% increase in operational efficiency and a roughly 25% reduction in vessel turnaround times.
Convergence of green and smart goals: Low-carbon objectives are now embedded in smart port design. Shore power, renewable energy integration and AI-driven energy optimisation algorithms have become standard features in new port developments.
Shift to system-wide intelligence: The focus is evolving from isolated automation to fully coordinated, system-wide intelligence. Digital twin platforms are increasingly used to simulate and manage integrated operations in real-time.
Regionally, these trends manifest in distinct ways, as illustrated below:
| Region | Notable Examples | Key Technological Focus Areas |
| Europe | Rotterdam (Netherlands), Hamburg (Germany) | Digital Twins, AI, IoT, Green Hydrogen Initiatives |
| Asia | Singapore, Chinese ports (e.g. Shanghai, Shenzhen) | Full Terminal Automation, Blockchain, 5G Integration, AI Scheduling |
| North America | Long Beach (USA), Vancouver (Canada) | Automation, Electrification, Cybersecurity |
| Middle East | Jebel Ali (UAE) | AI-Optimized Logistics, Automated Stacking Cranes |
| Latin America | Chancay (Peru), Veracruz (Mexico) | Electric Autonomous Trucks, Automated Cranes, Port Community Systems (PCS) |
Core technology applications: Restructuring the port ecosystem
The synergy of AI, IoT, Digital Twins, and green technologies is creating a new port operating model, structured around a continuous “Perception–Decision–Execution–Safeguarding” loop:
- Perception: A network of IoT sensors and high-speed 5G connectivity provides a real-time digital view of vessels, cargo and equipment.
- Decision: AI algorithms optimise resource allocation, while Digital Twins simulate scenarios for predictive planning and risk mitigation.
- Execution: Autonomous trucks, cranes and other unmanned equipment translate digital decisions into physical actions, drastically minimising human error.
- Safeguarding: Green technologies, including widespread electrification and shore power, ensure environmental compliance and reduce long-term operational costs.
Despite significant progress, key challenges persist, including seamless data fusion, overcoming automation bottlenecks in complex tasks and defending against escalating cybersecurity threats.
Impact on marine insurance: Evolving risks and opportunities
The rise of smart ports is simultaneously mitigating traditional risks and creating new complex exposures, pushing the insurance industry towards holistic supply chain risk management.
- Attenuation of traditional risks: Automation has led to an impressive reduction of operational accidents by up to 80% and human-related safety risks by over 60%. Furthermore, faster vessel turnaround times are reducing exposures related to cargo detention and demurrage.
- Emergence of new exposures: Cybersecurity has emerged as a primary systemic risk, with a single major attack potentially causing hundreds of millions of dollars in losses. The adoption of new green technologies, such as hydrogen-powered equipment, also introduces novel risks like leaks and system failures.
- Increased liability complexity: The ecosystem now involves numerous stakeholders – port operators, technology vendors and software providers – which complicates liability attribution. Regulations like the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) further expand the risk landscape by imposing severe penalties for data breaches.
In response, the insurance industry must adapt by collaborating on standards, developing dynamic risk models powered by real-time data and shifting from post-loss indemnification to proactive risk prevention. There is an urgent need for new coverage solutions, such as Unmanned Equipment Liability Insurance and Cyber Business Interruption Insurance. Establishing a global risk data pool, potentially in collaboration with organisations like IUMI, would be a critical step towards enhancing underwriting precision for these evolving risks.
The smart port transformation is a crucial pillar of a more resilient global supply chain. For marine insurers, this presents both a formidable challenge and a strategic opportunity. By deeply understanding these technological shifts, accurately assessing new and evolving risks and proactively developing innovative coverage models, the insurance industry can play a vital role in supporting the development of a safer, more efficient and sustainable global maritime ecosystem.
Sources: IAPH, UNCTAD, Seatrade Maritime News, Datamar and industry reports.
