A new survey of professionals across container, bulk and RoRo terminals has identified some of the challenges faced by marine terminals in achieving effective data connectivity and automation, as well as a growing interest in AI among larger operators.
The survey, conducted by Tideworks Technology in partnership with Port Technology International, collected responses from 121 professionals across facilities with throughputs ranging from under 100,000 TEUs to over five million annually.
While adoption of digital tools and automation is increasing, respondents reported ongoing issues with real-time visibility, data integration and system interoperability—particularly for terminals operating with smaller teams.
Asset and equipment utilisation were identified as the top focus areas across all terminal types. Larger facilities handling more than one million TEUs annually are increasingly prioritising AI, with 64% of this group listing it as a key area, compared to 43% across all respondents.
However, many still rely on manual data practices, with 58% noting challenges in establishing the digital foundation required to support emerging technologies.
Yard management was a major concern, with 74% of terminals focusing on reducing unproductive moves, and 66% citing yard space limitations as their top operational constraint. Process automation was the leading technology initiative, identified by 58% of respondents, while equipment automation was a lower priority.
Despite high levels of adoption of TOS and planning applications (86%), only 30% reported using real-time analytics. Integration remains a barrier, with 53% facing internal system connectivity challenges and 46% reporting issues in sharing data externally. Nearly half of respondents (45%) lack real-time visibility across their operations.
The full survey results are available here.