Penang: 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.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, 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. Yeoh emphasized that the port of the future must not only operate efficiently but 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.
Yeoh mentioned that 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. 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.
Yeoh stated that the transformation of Penang Port cannot be accomplished by a single institution alone. PPC plans to 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. 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.
Yeoh highlighted that 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. 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.