**3. Digitalization and automation for smart ports**

### **3.1 Smart port initiatives in major countries**

Various information systems have been introduced in maritime and port-related operations, such as Terminal Operating System (TOS) for internal terminal operations, Port Community System (PCS) for port logistics, Automatic Identification System (AIS), and the Transport Management System (TMS) for land-side operations such as trucking [5]. A smart port is an initiative that aims to improve the efficiency and safety of the port as a whole and to reduce the environmental impact of the port by integrating these systems through innovations in automation and new digital technologies such as IoT, AI, and 5G. Currently, the Port of Rotterdam (Smart Port Initiative) and the Port of Hamburg (smart port) in Europe, Japan (PORT2030), Korea (Smart Maritime Logistics) and Singapore (Sense-making Analytics For maritime Event Recognition: SAFER) and other major ports around the world are working on various initiatives.

The Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands has a vision of being the "smartest port in the world" and is working on digitalization, energy transformation, and innovation to become carbon neutral. They have identified four levels of "digital maturity" for a port cargo community as shown in **Table 2** [8]. The Smart Port Initiative is a roadmap that includes projects in energy and industry like recycling, electrification, renewable energy, logistics like BD, automated driving and BC, port infrastructure like quays, dredging, maritime traffic management, and innovation. The Port Call Optimization (PMO) project is underway as part of Port Collaborative Decision Making (PortCDM), an initiative aimed at optimizing the timing of vessel arrival and departure [9]. PortXChange (formerly Pronto), a real-time information sharing platform for PMO between shipping companies, shipping agents, terminals, and other stakeholders, has been in operation since 2018. In the past, about 75% of shipping companies, including major operators such as Maersk and ONE, have participated in


#### **Table 2.**

*Definition of maturity levels of smart ports.*

#### *Shipping Digitalization and Automation for the Smart Port DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.102015*

the experiment, and the results have shown that PortXChange is effective in reducing the waiting time of ships, especially for departures.

In Japan, one of the main measures in the mid-to long-term port policy "PORT2030" announced in July 2018 is to make ports smarter and more resilient by using information and communication technologies. In addition to the complete computerization of ports, which will be called "Cyber Port" through the construction of a port-related data linkage infrastructure, the policy aims to create container terminals with the world's highest level of productivity and a good working environment (AI terminals) by combining AI, IoT, and automation technologies. In the container terminal field, the introduction of remote-controlled cargo handling machinery and automated gate handling is being promoted, terminal operations are being streamlined and optimized using AI and other technologies, automated vessels, and remote-controlled tugboats are being operated, automated guided vehicles are being introduced, and automated trucks are being driven in convoys. In addition, the next generation high standard unit load terminal will be developed. Furthermore, in the next generation of high standard unit load terminals, the use of automatic driving technology for cross-carriage transport and the linkage with automatic navigation and navigation support technology for ships are mentioned.

#### **3.2 Research and development for the realization of the automated ship**

Various efforts have been made by shipping companies to develop navigation support technologies to improve the safety and efficiency of ship operations using IoT and big data. In this context, Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) have been attracting attention rapidly in recent years. The term MASS generally describes a ship that is highly automated or remotely controlled to perform some or all of the following shipboard tasks: external situational awareness (watchkeeping), monitoring of equipment status, ship operation, engine control, cargo management, and loading/ unloading, take-off and landing, and other shipboard tasks by using the latest technologies such as IoT, ICT, and data analysis technologies, various sensors, and landbased monitoring and control centers connected by broadband communications.

A number of projects are underway, mainly in Europe, with the aim of realizing MASS. In December 2018, Rolls-Royce and FinnFerry successfully demonstrated the world's first fully automated ferry. As an example of an international project, One Sea, a consortium launched in Finland in 2016, is developing a roadmap for practical application and discussing the necessary safety standards and international standardization in order to create an environment for MASS operation by 2025.

There is an ongoing international discussion on the legislative framework for safety standards for MASS. With regard to classification societies' certification systems, in February 2017, the British classification society Lloyd's Register published the LR Unmanned Marine Systems Code, which sets out the performance requirements for automated ships. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has been considering the regulatory aspects of automated ships since May 2018 and has presented a provisional proposal, as shown in **Table 3**, and is discussing the necessary amendments to IMO rules and new developments. For demonstration tests, the provisional guidelines for safe and efficient demonstration tests of automated ships, jointly proposed by Japan and Norway, have been approved in June 2019. In May 2021, IMO has completed a regulatory scoping exercise on MASS that was designed to assess existing IMO instruments to see how they might apply to ships with varying degrees of automation.


#### **Table 3.**

*Definition of automation levels for MASS.*

In Japan, industry, government, and academia have been collaborating since FY2017 to develop technologies, develop infrastructure and systems, and study business models for the realization of MASS through demonstration projects of automatic ship operation, remote ship operation, and automatic docking and unloading functions in order to improve the environment, including the formulation of safety requirements. The ClassNK has been working on the development of the technology through demonstration projects. In January 2020, the ClassNK established requirements and procedures for the functional verification of automation and remote-control systems used on ships and remote-control facilities, from the perspective of ensuring safety at each stage of development and design, ship installation, and operation [11]. The Ship Data Centre was established in December 2015 as a platform for the use of ship big data, with the participation of shipping companies, shipbuilders, marine industry operators, and meteorological information companies. The Ship Data Center was established in December 2015 as a foundation for the use of ship big data, with the participation of shipping companies, shipbuilders, marine industry companies, meteorological information companies, etc. Rules for fair and equitable data use have been established to promote the distribution and use of ship big data, and the effective use of accumulated big data is being promoted.

Based on the results of the economic evaluation of the MASS operation system, efforts are being made to commercialize a manned automated ship operation system (corresponding to automation level 1 in **Table 3**), which is more feasible in the short term. In NYK line, research has been conducted on an action planning system for the decision-making required to execute ship operations, and the world's first demonstration of a manned automated ship based on the provisional guidelines set by the IMO was conducted in September 2019 [12]. Future projections for unmanned automated ships (corresponding to automation level 3 or higher in **Table 3**) for domestic ships suggest that if 50% of ships are replaced by unmanned automated ships in 2040, the annual economic impact will be approximately 1 trillion yen [13]. In June 2020, the Foundation selected five projects for MEGURI 2040, which aims to realize unmanned automated ships by 2025, by conducting the world's first demonstrations in waters with high vessel traffic, long-distance navigation, and using large vessels.
