AI-Powered Predictive Maintenance for Mission-Critical Terminal Equipment

A major international port operator partnered with INTECH to build an IoT and AI-driven predictive maintenance system, replacing fixed schedules with intelligent failure prediction. This kept STS cranes, RTG cranes, and automated vehicles running reliably, eliminating surprise breakdowns and keeping cargo moving on schedule.

Client Overview

Global Port Operator Modernizing Terminal Reliability

  • Client

    Major international port operator managing high-volume terminals worldwide

  • Industry

    Container handling with 24/7 operations dependent on STS cranes, RTG cranes, and automated vehicles

  • Core Offering

    Equipment-intensive cargo movement requiring zero-downtime reliability for vessel schedules and customer commitments

  • Mandate

    Replace calendar-based maintenance with AI predictions that prevent failures, optimize costs, and ensure safety across global terminals

Challenges We Overcome

Calendar-Driven Maintenance Fueling Downtime and Costs

Time-based maintenance

Parts replaced regardless of condition, wasting money while real issues went undetected

Unplanned outages

Sudden crane and vehicle failures halted vessels, caused congestion, and triggered penalties

Escalating costs

Unnecessary replacements plus emergency repairs drove budgets out of control

Safety risks

Unexpected breakdowns endangered operators and ground crews under time pressure

Inventory guesswork

Spare parts stockpiled expensively without knowing true failure risks

Poor visibility

No predictive insights into failure patterns across assets or terminals

Solutions

INTECH's Predictive System: Equipment That Warns Before Failure

Smart sensor network

Vibration, temperature, pressure, and electrical monitoring on critical components like hoists and motors

Real-time edge processing

On-site analysis delivers instant alerts without cloud dependency

Machine learning predictions

Models trained on failure data forecast remaining life and prioritize actions

Centralized cloud dashboards

Global visibility into trends and model improvements across terminals

Mobile technician apps

Alerts, health scores, and work orders delivered directly to field teams

Seamless integration

Predictions feed into yard systems for automated maintenance scheduling

Tech Stack

Industrial Tech Powering 24/7 Terminal Reliability

IoT sensor network

Harsh-environment sensors capturing vibration, temperature, pressure, and electrical signals

Edge computing devices

On-terminal processing for immediate threshold alerts and local analysis

Machine learning models

Failure-pattern recognition predicting component life and impact

Cloud infrastructure

Secure aggregation enabling multi-terminal monitoring and model refinement

Mobile maintenance apps

Real-time alerts, scores, and digital work orders for technicians

Phased rollout readiness

Assessment, data integration, and deployment scaling from critical assets

Results

From Reactive Breakdowns to Proactive Equipment Intelligence

Improved operational efficiency

Unplanned downtime dropped 85% with maintenance during planned windows

Enhanced equipment availability

Uptime jumped 40% as failures got caught weeks early

Reduced maintenance costs

Spending fell 50% by eliminating unnecessary part replacements

Boosted safety performance

Equipment incidents nearly disappeared through proactive fixes

Extended asset lifecycles

Components lasted 30% longer with precise intervention timing

Business Benefits

From Downtime Disruptions to Predictive Operational Excellence

  • Operational gains

    85% less unplanned downtime and 40% higher equipment availability

  • Safety transformation

    Incidents eliminated through planned repairs and risk monitoring

  • Cost optimization

    50% lower spending, 35% reduced inventory, 20% better crew productivity

  • Strategic insights

    Failure patterns informing procurement, operations, and capex planning

  • Global knowledge sharing

    Learnings from one terminal improving predictions worldwide

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