The maritime industry will continue to see change in 2018. A new age of commerce has arrived. More shipping alliances, ultra-large container ships, and fully automated robotic cargo-handling will continue to impact the landscape of the modern day port. Massive ships with 18,000 or more TEU capacity, are intelligently offloaded via autonomous cranes. The prospect of driverless vessels is being explored. Many view high-tech automation as the answer to help boost terminal reliability and productivity while reducing costs. The growing use of LNG as a marine fuel with its clean burning properties to meet International Maritime Organization emission caps by 2020 is influencing shipbuilding, shipowners, and the ports their vessels call.
Keeping our maritime gateways safe and secure will be a priority this year. Technology dependent systems deployed to assure the flow of commerce must be protected against cyber threats. Ports are the critical link to our nation’s economy and national security. Organized and coordinated efforts throughout the global supply chain are a must.
Ports are adapting to new technology, and some are operating in new territory, defining the modern day port of tomorrow. Geographic location is launching seaports like Port Canaveral from world-class gateways to new frontiers, including space. Commercial space companies, such as SpaceX and Blue Origin, now have operational concepts requiring access to maritime assets, creating a new definition of cargo and changing the traditional blueprint for commerce.