AD Ports Group and NYU Abu Dhabi Partner to Build High-Fidelity AI Intelligence Engine for Port Operations

AD Ports Group, the Abu Dhabi-based global trade and logistics enabler, has entered into a multi-year strategic research partnership with NYU Abu Dhabi to develop and pilot a high-fidelity intelligence engine designed to transform port operations through advanced data-driven decision-making. The engine will integrate stochastic models and spatial intelligence to serve as a sophisticated decision-support layer for human operators, combining vessel arrival time predictions, berth allocation optimisation suggestions, and environmental impact analysis with high precision. In an industry where global berth waiting times often stretch into multiple days at anchorage, the opportunity to improve planning precision is commercially significant. The intelligence engine aims to de-risk port call uncertainty and enhance operational fluidity — resulting in smarter port calls that unlock additional capacity without physical expansion. Depending on vessel type, aligning arrival times with berth availability can reduce idle time and save fuel burn considerably, minimising environmental harm and facilitating greener port calls. The project is led by Professor Ali Diabat from NYU Abu Dhabi's Civil and Urban Engineering department, who will develop data-driven frameworks that support better decision-making and long-term performance improvements across port and logistics systems. AD Ports will provide secure access to operational data and facilitate controlled pilot deployments across selected terminals and trade lanes, with plans to scale successful outcomes across AD Ports Group's global network. Beyond operational efficiency, the initiative aims to advance terminal-focused decarbonisation transparency — creating an integrated operational and environmental digital decision layer that connects port call planning directly to emissions outcomes. Why this matters for ship managers: This partnership addresses one of the most practical and measurable pain points in fleet operations — waiting at anchorage. If the intelligence engine delivers on its ambition to reduce port call uncertainty and align arrivals with berth availability, the direct benefits to ship managers include lower fuel costs from reduced idle time, better schedule reliability, and reduced emissions reporting exposure. Ship managers calling at AD Ports terminals should monitor the pilot timeline — early engagement with predictive arrival intelligence systems positions fleets to benefit from optimised berth allocation as the system scales. [Splash247 · Container News]

This story is part of the Maritime AI Digest of 26 April 2026.

More on: Emissions and CII · Port calls and just-in-time arrival