From the Great Lakes to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, artificial intelligence is transforming Quebec’s maritime industry.
Projects implementing the highest technology promise to improve efficiency and speed of execution in the management of ports and the movement of ships.
Invest to save
The development of a smart economic corridor is underway for transportation on the St. Lawrence. The Quebec government has invested $232.6 million in the Avantage Saint-Laurent maritime strategy. The goal is to upgrade technology and connect Quebec’s maritime infrastructures. In 2016, Innovation maritime (IMAR), the research center affiliated with the Institut maritime du Québec of the Collège de Rimouski, joined forces with the Société de développement économique du Saint-Laurent (SODES) to set up the maritime information (SIM). In the long term, these investments will reduce the ecological footprint, while increasing the industry’s productivity.
Intelligent merchandise management
Montreal Gateway Terminals (MGT) will integrate artificial intelligence (AI) computing power into its operations to increase storage capacity at the Port of Montreal. With an investment of $9 million, the implementation of AI will improve container handling planning. In terminals, instead of removing containers from ships and simply stacking them, the AI will indicate which ones to prioritize and how to place them in port. This will increase container traceability, while saving time and energy.
Optimized steering
Ship travel on the St. Lawrence will become more efficient by integrating AI. The CSL Group (Canada Steamship Lines) is developing a ship piloting computer system to optimize travel. The AI takes all the logistics data to indicate the ideal amount of fuel for the distance to be covered, plot the route to follow according to the winds and tides as well as the speed of movement to arrive at the port at exactly the right time. The establishment of this pilotage service, in which the Laurentian Pilotage Administration and the Quebec company Vooban participate, will make it possible to achieve significant energy savings, reducing operating costs as well as the carbon footprint of commercial travel on the Saint -Laurent.
Creation of a common platform
Shipping in general and the process of integrating AI into industry generates a phenomenal amount of valuable data. The maritime information system, with its 45 billion data, has enormous potential to achieve many AI applications. To make the St. Lawrence a true digital ecosystem, this data must be used by all organizations in the sector to maximize collaborations throughout the St. Lawrence.
Such a data sharing platform is in the structuring phase. SODES and the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility are working on this major project. The Quebec firm CGI is currently conducting studies, seeking which data sharing models would be the most desirable and effective. In December 2024, CGI will submit its recommendations in this regard, also detailing how to consider the cybersecurity of this new digital ecosystem.