Busan Port Authority (BPA) will invest 435 billion won by 2030 to launch Busan Port AX (AI transformation). Through this, it plans to turn Busan Port into a "future-oriented hyperconnected AI port" and raise productivity by 30%.
BPA said on the 12th that it has drawn up a "Busan Port AX implementation plan" reflecting this and will move to execute it.
The plan is being pursued to support the government's core strategy to become one of the top three AI powers and to lead the rapidly changing global port and logistics paradigm. As the first AI transformation roadmap in Korea's port sector, it aims to go beyond digitalization and introduce AI across Busan Port's entire operations.
Centered on four strategic tasks, it will be carried out through 12 key initiatives. The four strategic tasks are: ▲ completion of a Korea-style automated terminal based on AI ▲ promotion of Busan Port logistics integrated platform AX ▲ introduction of physical AI to prevent accidents and respond to unmanned operations ▲ securing a Busan Port–dedicated public AI infrastructure and building a collaboration system.
First, to complete a Korea-style automated terminal based on AI, port infrastructure and systems will be built with domestic technology, and the "brain" of AI will be embedded. It will be equipped with domestically produced handling equipment such as container cranes and transfer cranes and an AI-based equipment control system (ECS), and plans call for maximizing terminal productivity by having AI independently decide the optimal positions to stack containers. Through this, by 2030 Busan Port's container terminal productivity will be improved by 30%.
It will also build a "port logistics AI expressway" within Busan Port. By introducing AI into the Busan Port logistics integrated platform, it will create a system in which trucks on land, ships at sea, and the port exchange data in real time as if they were a single organism. By leveraging "Allcon-e," an integrated mobile platform for Busan Port truck drivers developed by BPA, and "Port-i," a maritime logistics monitoring system, it will develop a Korea-style port call optimization system (K-PCO) to lead the global logistics standard.
To prevent safety accidents, it will also push the introduction of physical AI. It will develop robots to handle high-fall-risk container lashing and refrigerated container management tasks, and will equip an intelligent prediction system that independently analyzes defects in crane wire ropes or calculates in advance the possibility of containers toppling in strong winds and takes action.
BPA will invest 435 billion won out of the total project cost of 892.1 billion won for the AI transformation of Busan Port by 2030. Through this, it plans to carry out the key initiatives and detailed execution tasks without a hitch.
Song Sang-geun, president of BPA, said, "Through this AX promotion plan, Busan Port will become a key driver in the port and logistics sector for Korea to leap into the top three AI powers," adding, "We will combine Busan Port's operational experience with AI technology to become a leader in the global port market."