80 “ AI could forecast passenger flows, staffing requirements, bus and taxi demand, and energy requirements” COMMENTARY When we discuss AI and new technologies in cruise ports, attention often focuses on individual applications such as passenger-flow monitoring, facial recognition and automated check-in. These technologies are important for improving operational efficiency and passenger experience. However, many of the challenges facing cruise ports cannot be solved within the terminal alone. A single cruise call involves vessel operations, berth allocation, passenger and baggage handling, customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ), ground transport, energy supply, destinations, airports and connections with other ports. Port authorities do not directly control all these functions, but they often play a central role in coordinating the organisations involved. In that sense, cruise port management is fundamentally about orchestration. One of the greatest opportunities for AI is to enhance this role by helping ports predict what may happen next, optimise available resources and support better-coordinated decisions. This coordination role is made harder by the fact that every cruise call is different. Every call creates a different combination of requirements. Ship size, passenger volume, turnaround or transit operations, baggage, CIQ and ground transport all vary. Environmental requirements add another dimension. Some ships use onshore power supply; others do not. Some are LNG-capable, while future vessels may use different alternative fuels. Ports therefore need to adapt berth operations, passenger handling, transport and energy supply to each call. Cruise infrastructure also has intermittent demand, with some facilities intensively used for only short periods. Some ports also share infrastructure with cargo or ferry operations. This is where AI-based prediction and optimisation could make a practical difference. By learning from previous calls, AI could forecast passenger flows, staffing requirements, bus and taxi demand, and energy requirements. These forecasts could support the optimisation of staffing, transport allocation, facility use and energy scheduling. Digital twins, virtual representations of physical objects or systems, could test different operating scenarios before a ship arrives, while robotics and physical AI could support physical operations as labour shortages become more serious. Yet the challenge does not end at the terminal gate, as both the passenger journey and the economic impact of a cruise call extend beyond the port. Cruise lines, government agencies, terminal operators, transport providers and tourism organisations each manage different parts of the journey, with airports and airlines adding further layers for fly-cruise passengers. This makes interoperability increasingly important. The objective is not necessarily to put every piece of information into one system, but to ensure that the Beyond the smart terminal New technologies are transforming cruise terminals, but their impact could also help destinations solve challenges outside the port HIROHITO ITO PH.D. Hirohito Ito is director of the Cruise Research Laboratory at Central Consultant, advising ports, cruise lines and public authorities on cruise deployment planning, port investment strategy and regional cruise network development
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzQ1NTk=