Penang Port Explores AI To Drive Smarter, Greener Operations
GEORGE TOWN, Aug 19 (Bernama) -- Penang Port Commission (PPC) is exploring the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to optimise port operations, reduce equipment idling and energy consumption, and accelerate its transformation into a smarter, lower-carbon maritime hub.
PPC chairman Datuk Yeoh Soon Hin said AI could integrate vessel scheduling, cargo movement, logistics coordination, safety monitoring and energy management, enabling more accurate, data-driven operational decisions.
He said the move reflected the rapid transformation of the global port and shipping industry, where competitiveness increasingly depended on digitalisation, supply chain integration, safety, energy efficiency and environmental sustainability.
“The port of the future must not only operate efficiently; it must also be able to ‘think’ through data, make forecasts and support more precise decision-making. AI can help ports analyse real-time data, forecast operational demand, optimise the deployment of equipment and manpower, and identify potential risks in advance,” he said in a statement.
Yeoh said the potential use of AI was discussed during his recent meeting with a delegation from OpenMove AI, led by executive director Steven Wong, which introduced its AI software and explored applications in port operations, logistics coordination and smart port development.
He said potential applications included logistics visibility, vehicle and cargo-flow analysis, predictive maintenance, anomaly alerts and intelligent resource allocation.
Better coordination between vessels, vehicles, cargo and port equipment could reduce waiting times and equipment idling, improve cargo-flow efficiency, and lower fuel, electricity and operating costs, he added.
However, Yeoh said any AI solution would undergo rigorous technical and operational assessment to ensure it met the port’s operational, cybersecurity and data governance requirements.
“We must not adopt technology merely for the sake of technology. Every investment in digitalisation or artificial intelligence must solve real operational problems and deliver measurable outcomes, including shorter operating times, lower costs, higher productivity, stronger safety and security, and an improved overall experience for port users,” he said.
Yeoh said smart and green transformation should be pursued together, with AI-enabled analytics and scheduling helping to optimise equipment and vessel movements, improve energy efficiency and support carbon-emissions management.
PPC would also study green port machinery, hybrid equipment, shore power facilities and alternative energy solutions as the shipping industry accelerates its decarbonisation efforts, he said.
As a major maritime gateway along the Strait of Malacca and for northern Malaysia, as well as an important logistics hub connecting the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle, Penang Port’s smart development should extend beyond the port to roads, railways, inland ports, shipping lines and logistics service providers, Yeoh said.
He said PPC would continue technical exchanges with AI companies in Malaysia and abroad, focusing on specific use cases that address operational needs.
Small-scale proof-of-concept or pilot projects could then be considered, with wider deployment assessed based on system security, technical compatibility, cost-effectiveness and measurable results.
“The transformation of Penang Port cannot be accomplished by a single institution alone. We must bring together port operators, government agencies, technology companies, logistics players, universities and research institutions to expand the collaborative network for smart and green port development,” he added.
-- BERNAMA