INTECH Increases Vessel Planning Productivity for Leading Port Operator By 8x With AI

A Dubai-headquartered multinational logistics leader partnered with INTECH to implement Smart Stow, an AI-powered vessel planning platform. This transformative solution automated complex crane assignments and container stacking decisions, delivering unprecedented productivity gains across their global port operations.

Client Overview

A Global Logistics Leader Modernizing Port Terminal Operations

  • Client

    A multinational port operator with 140+ market presence, managing 92 million containers annually

  • Industry

    Integrated logistics, port terminal management, maritime solutions, and free trade zone services

  • Core Offering

    High-volume container movement supporting major global supply chains with critical service continuity requirements

  • Mandate

    Replace manual vessel planning with intelligent automation that scales with volume growth while eliminating resource waste and operational bottlenecks across terminal networks

Challenges We Overcome

Planning Inefficiencies Threatening Service Continuity

Inefficient Resource Utilization

Manual crane assignments produced under/over-utilization patterns, causing dock blockages and throughput bottlenecks across terminals

Imbalanced Yard Load Distribution

Poor container placement required extensive manual corrections and shifting, compounding vessel departure delays

Overwhelming Manual Workload

Planners consumed by repetitive tasks with limited capacity for strategic decision-making as planning cycles grew exponentially

Scalability Limitations Exposed

Rapid volume growth forced impossible choices between operational speed and planning precision

Operational Rigidity

Legacy approaches are unable to adapt to shifting schedules and growing yard complexity at scale

Solutions

INTECH's Smart Stow Solution: AI-Powered Intelligence at Port Scale

Automated Complex Planning Engine

Deep Q-Learning models handle crane assignments, container stacking, and yard balancing across fluctuating operational conditions

Seamless Terminal Integration

Embedded within the existing Zodiac platform for planner familiarity with real-time data flow, eliminating information silos

Real-Time Decision Optimization

Instant scenario analysis matching planning moves to the current operational state across multiple simultaneous vessel operations

Adaptive Growth Architecture

Flexible design accommodates diverse vessel types, container loads, and scheduling demands without performance degradation

Strategic Resource Intelligence

Background automation frees planning teams for high-value strategic decisions while maintaining service responsiveness

Tech Stack

The Technology Infrastructure Behind Smarter Port Operations

Deep Q Reinforcement Learning

Core AI engine analyzing millions of planning scenarios for optimal real-time decision-making

Simulated Deep Q Tables

Instant operational state matching enabling sub-minute planning cycle completion

Zodiac Terminal Platform Integration

Native embedding ensuring frictionless data exchange and planner adoption

Real-Time Data Orchestration

Unified information flow across yard, planning, and crane operations, breaking down system silos

Scalable Cloud Architecture

Performance consistency maintained across terminal networks and rising container volumes

Results

From Manual Planning Chaos to AI-Driven Operational Excellence

8x surge in planning productivity

Automated decision-making compressed scheduling cycles from hours to minutes

10% improvement in crane efficiency

Intelligent resource allocation eliminated dock blockages and throughput bottlenecks

10% better load distribution

AI-optimized container placement reduced manual yard shifting and enhanced vessel stability

Real-time operational agility

Instant response to fluctuating container flows and scheduling changes across terminals

Sustainable scalability

Consistent performance maintained across rising volumes without operational compromise

Business Benefits

From Reactive Planning to Proactive Operational Intelligence

  • Explosive productivity gains

    8x throughput increase freed planners from repetitive tasks for strategic focus

  • Optimized resource performance

    10% crane efficiency improvement, accelerated container movement, and terminal throughput

  • Enhanced operational stability

    10% better load distribution, minimized yard shifting, and improved cargo safety

  • Agile responsiveness

    Real-time adaptation to volume fluctuations and schedule changes maintained service continuity

  • Future-proof scalability

    Consistent speed, accuracy, and quality sustained across expanding operational demands

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