Video: Port 2060 - Kalmar’s vision for the sustainable future of cargo handling

According to Kalmar’s renewed vision for cargo handling in 2060, data has fundamentally changed the way the world trade operates, making it more efficient, safe and sustainable. People will live in smart cities that are part of a global ecosystem where consumer demand drives logistics and cargo handling industry.

“In 2060, we believe that services will be more personalised and efficient. Specialised items, such as your favourite blend of coffee, can be ordered directly from a local producer. Goods will be moved rapidly around the world in smart containers that know their contents and destination. Everything will be automated and highly efficient,” says Frank Kho, Vice President, Market Intelligence, Strategy and Development and a member of the “Port 2060 Think Tank”.

In Kalmar’s view of the future, terminals will be complete logistic ecosystems that act as global interchange points for an on-demand society. All ports will be automated and run on renewable energy with zero carbon emissions. Continuous predictive maintenance ensures that everything runs smoothly at all times. Big data will be used to the full benefit of our society. Artificial intelligence combined with human experience and knowledge will help us solve highly complex problems. People are more connected than ever and new digital technologies have enabled different forms of collaboration, co-creation and innovation that have positively impacted millions of lives around the globe.

Shaping the industry by raising up topics

Port 2060 initiative was originally launched in 2011 to spark discussion on the future of the port industry. Through a series of articles, blog posts and conference presentations, Kalmar has aimed to anticipate the challenges and solutions that will be relevant to containerisation as it approaches its centenary.

“We want to continue to lead the discussion on the future of cargo handling by actively taking initiative and raising up topics that can help our customers and partners to prepare for the future and adopt new technologies and innovations,” says Maija Eklöf, Vice President, Marketing and Communications at Kalmar.

In 2060, terminals will be complete logistic ecosystems that act as global interchange points for an on-demand society.

“This time we wanted to have a more holistic look over the entire logistics chain,” comments Frank Kho. “The original Port 2060 vision was mainly focused on the physical dimensions of a port and it has carried very well through all these years. However, the possibilities that digitalisation, data and software will provide, will have a fundamental impact on the global trade and logistics ecosystem. Automation and artificial intelligence, for example, will help us to create a more sustainable future while enabling better collaboration and interaction between people”.

“The new Port 2060 vision is a result of open collaboration and creativity. We invited all Kalmar and Cargotec employees to join in the idea generation process. The final vision was crystallised in a team consisting of Kalmar and Navis R&D and business development experts. The process has been truly inspiring, generating new ideas and thinking. The discussion continues online in our Port 2060 blog as well as in the News and Insights section of www.kalmarglobal.com where we will be providing new articles on a regular basis, Maija Eklöf concludes.