Blog

Shapingfuture

Join us

Features thought pieces, interviews, reports, analysis, project updates and news from our global team.

Join us
Filter by category
Big Data, IoT, and AI in Modern Maritime Operations

Navigating the future: The role of Big Data, IoT, and AI in modern maritime operations

Digital transformation has become an urgent priority for the maritime industry. Ports, carriers, and logistics stakeholders are navigating growing challenges—congestion, limited visibility, rising costs, and stricter sustainability requirements. The shift from traditional models to data-driven digital ecosystems is now essential, leveraging AI, IoT, cloud platforms, and true cross-chain collaboration to drive resilience and efficiency.

11 Jun, 2025
Port Congestion and Delays: Why It Happens and How to Mitigate It

Port congestion explained: why delays happen and how to mitigate them

Port congestion has emerged as one of the most pressing challenges in global maritime logistics, with far-reaching implications for trade, the economy, the environment, and customer satisfaction. As international trade continues to grow, ports serve as critical nodes in the global supply chain, managing the movement of goods between production and consumption hubs. However, congestion at these key points disrupts the smooth flow of goods, creating ripple effects that extend beyond the port gates. 

18 Feb, 2025
Bunkering, maritime, Port to ship

Bunkering in brief: What you need to know about this essential maritime practice

Bunkering is the supply of fuel to a ship’s fuel tank for propulsion or other energy purposes. The main bunkering hubs worldwide are located in Singapore, Rotterdam, Fujairah and Houston ports. In this post, we discuss the difference between import/export of liquid cargo and bunkering, the main fuel supply operating systems as well as the use of green fuels in maritime transport.

01 Aug, 2024
Impacts of AI in Maritime Operations

Exploring the revolutionary impacts of AI in maritime operations

Most recent advancements in technology have made possible the digitization and automation of processes and operations within the maritime sector, leading to the emergence of innovative solutions, enabling more efficient and accurate operations, increasing safety, saving money, and contributing to a more sustainable environment.

13 Nov, 2023
Decarbonization: Alternative fuels in the maritime sector

Decarbonization: alternative fuels (LNG, biofuels, and hydrogen) in the maritime sector

In the pursuit of decarbonization, the maritime sector is increasingly turning to alternative fuels as a key strategy to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. By transitioning away from traditional fossil fuels, the industry aims to promote sustainability and mitigate its environmental impact.

23 Oct, 2023
The six trends of the maritime sector in 2023

The six trends of the maritime sector in 2023

The ports and maritime sector has been changing rapidly in the last years and it is not easy to follow the trends in the market. What was valid in the past probably it is not valid anymore in 2023. Our team has analysed the news in some of the main maritime media and the strength of each trend. 

18 Aug, 2023
rehabilitation of aging infrastructure

Rehabilitation of aging maritime infrastructure

Aging maritime infrastructures are those that are at the end of their design-useful life and, according to their own lifecycle, are about to reach a state of obsolescence unless a process of rehabilitation begins. Through a partial or total repair process, it is possible not only to extend its lifecycle but also to ensure safe conditions.

14 Aug, 2023
PPP

Key considerations in a PPP Transition Process

Many of the PPPs that were implemented in the last 2-3 decades are now coming to the end of their terms, and tender processes are being floated everywhere around the globe by governmental authorities, in order to maintain this successful model for yet more decades to come.

28 Nov, 2022
Outstanding year in M&A in the ports and maritime sector

Outstanding year in M&A in the ports and maritime sector

The global M&A activity probably hit an all-time high in 2021 with deals worth more than $4T. The same trend was followed on the port sector with part of the companies transforming into vertical integrated conglomerates and with a high involvement of the investment funds on the new deals.

04 Apr, 2022
The role of ports and maritime transportation in the hydrogen future

The role of ports and maritime transportation in the hydrogen future towards the energy transition

Internationally recognized organizations, researchers and governments point hydrogen as a key energy carrier towards the necessary energy transition. Countries with lower potential for renewable electricity will need to import hydrogen from countries with potential for competitive production of hydrogen.

04 Apr, 2022
The ambitious Brazilian ports concession program

The ambitious Brazilian ports concession program

The Federal Government of Brazil, through the Ministry of Infrastructure and the National Water Transport Agency awarded multiple terminal concession tenders during the past years. 2022’s tenders will even increase compared to the high number of processes during 2020 and 2021.

01 Feb, 2022
Port Master Planning; key aspects for a resilient port

Port Master Planning: key aspects for a resilient port

A Port Master Planning establishes strategic policies and guidelines over the medium to long term to direct the future development of a port. It aims to describe how a port must grow and adapt in accordance with the evolution of future traffic growth, any predicted expansion, changes in the way it operates, use of new technologies and other factors.

31 Aug, 2021
Green Ports: Embracing sustainable practices to future-proof our ports

Green Ports: Embracing sustainable practices to future-proof our ports

Ports are essential to global trade as around 90% of all trade is currently seaborne. However, their virtually non-stop industrial activity across the globe means they are responsible for a fair share of the world’s air and water pollution.

28 Apr, 2021
The yacht registration market: Main drivers for the choice of the flag state

The yacht registration market: Main drivers for the choice of the flag state

The choice of a flag state is an important issue for yacht owners since it has a direct impact on the acquisition cost of the yacht, the obligations of the owner or even the value of the yacht. What does imply to register a yacht under a flag and how does this depend on the size of the vessel? What are the main decision factors for the choice of a flag? What are the most popular flags and why?

28 Apr, 2021
Container boxes: Old and new recipes to improve the competitiveness of the container trades

Container boxes: Old and new recipes to improve the competitiveness of the container trades

The implementation of the containers in the shipping sector was one of the major revolutions in the history of transportation, reducing the cost and increasing the speed of international trade and supporting the development of globalization.

19 Nov, 2020
Impact of concession costs in the transshipment container market: a case study of the West Med

Impact of concession costs in the transshipment container market: a case study of the West Med

The Mediterranean is one of the most strategic shipping areas, thanks to its location within East-West trade corridor, which connect the three main trade areas in the world. The total container traffic in this corridor during the last twenty years has experienced a steady and significant growth following the increase of seaborne global trade.

19 Nov, 2020
Impacto y algunas posibles medidas que puede tomar el sector portuario de México

Impacto y algunas posibles medidas que puede tomar el sector portuario de México

La rápida propagación del Covid-19 está teniendo un impacto profundo en la economía global. Gobiernos de todo el mundo han optado por políticas de confinamiento en su lucha por contener la transmisión del virus, lo que ha supuesto la caída en la demanda de productos y servicios, paradas en la producción e, inevitablemente, distorsiones en las cadenas logísticas y en el sector marítimo – portuario.

10 Jul, 2020
How to ensure successful PPPs in the port sector

How to ensure successful PPPs in the port sector

Public-private partnerships are long-term contracts between a private parties and government entities for providing a public asset or service in which the private party bears significant risk and management responsibility. They represent an alternative method for financing the development or upgrading of infrastructure.

02 Jul, 2020
Mediterranean Shipyards market: Factors that drive the selection of a shipyard

Mediterranean Shipyards market: Factors that drive the selection of a shipyard

The global commercial maritime fleet, which currently amounts to 96,000 vessels, has shown a steady growth in the last decade. In addition, the average vessel size has also increased steadily in the same period, driven by the shipping companies operation of larger vessels, taking advantage of economies of scale.

02 Jul, 2020
Dubai’s Ports. A strong model facing new paradigms

Dubai’s Ports. A strong model facing new paradigms

The Dubai port was first built in the mid-19th century in the Dubai Creek area. It served a settlement of 800 members of the Bani Yas tribe led by the Al Maktoum family, whose subsequent generations have kept on developing the port and city, turning it to an international trade hub.

09 Apr, 2020
Cabotage: about to take off in LatAm?

Cabotage: about to take off in LatAm?

Cabotage, defined as the transportation service between two ports in the same national territory, has always been protected by restrictive policies in Latin America.

09 Apr, 2020
Caribbean cruise market: Opportunities in a growing industry

Caribbean cruise market: Opportunities in a growing industry

The worldwide cruise market has been growing at large pace during the last decade and such trend is expected to continue in the mid and long term. This future trend is leveraged on a new outstanding additional offer, including larger vessels with innovative services, the development of new cruise destinations and the retrofitting of cruise terminals to guarantee a differential value proposition.

07 Nov, 2019
Future trends on container handling systems

Future trends on container handling systems

Historically, maritime transport has had a paramount importance on trade where ports have been the central transfer point between water and land transport modes. Nowadays, more than 80% of world trade is based on waterborne transport and this figure is expected to continue or even grow. 

06 Jun, 2019
The future of ports: how to stay competitive

The future of ports: how to stay competitive

Ports need to constantly anticipate challenges by adapting their infrastructure and equipment to the new generation of vessels and also by accommodating the latest technologies. As a matter of fact, over the past decades and especially during the last years, ports have evolved towards greater efficiency, lowering cargo handling costs.

06 Jun, 2019
Smart Ports in Europe, where are we going?

Smart Ports in Europe, where are we going?

The EU is highly dependent on ports for global trade but also within its internal market. Approximately 74% of goods imported and exported and 37% of exchanges within the EU transit take place through ports.

27 Nov, 2017
Container market trends: What is going on in the Strait of Gibraltar?

Container market trends: What is going on in the Strait of Gibraltar?

This article aims to cover the current and near-future container market in the Strait of Gibraltar. It highlights the region’s relevance in international trade and the occupancy of its major container terminals.

18 Jul, 2017
Emerging attractiveness of the marina sector for investors

Emerging attractiveness of the marina sector for investors

In this article, we highlight the key facts that are increasingly encouraging investors to enter the marina sector. In addition, the article describes the main strategic aspects driving the success of marina’s business worldwide.

18 Jul, 2017
Designing the business of an Inland Container Terminal (ICT)

Designing the business of an Inland Container Terminal (ICT)

Inland Container Terminals (ICTs) or Inland Container Depots (IDCs) are facilities offering services for handling and temporary storage of import/export laden and empty containers carried in some cases under customs control. Increasingly adopted by several ports worldwide since they help to decongest ports and increase the efficiency of the logistics chains.

27 Apr, 2017
Port quality management, the ultimate expression of client-focused maritime business

Port quality management, the ultimate expression of client-focused maritime business

There are still many ports, in many diverse locations, where incoming goods are subject to highly uncertain handling schedules by the different stakeholders involved in operations, making it difficult to foresee when such goods will be ultimately delivered.

23 Jan, 2017
The African revolution: Snapshot of the situation & opportunities in Africa

The African revolution: Snapshot of the situation & opportunities in Africa

African ports with its 28 Mn TEUs represent less than 5% of the world’s throughputs (vs 14% of the population), however the continent ports have been booming during last years increasing throughputs at a compound rate of 7%.

04 Oct, 2016

You have successfully subscribed to ALG news! We will share with you the new publications that we hope will be of your interest.