VIDEO: Port of Montréal launches AI project to optimize port labor use

An artificial intelligence project called Galileo is to be used in the Port of Montréal with the aim of improving planning related to the dispatch of the port workforce.

Galileo is being launched by the Maritime Employers Association (MEA) which represents the employers of longshore workers and checkers. It negotiates and administers the collective agreements of its members. It recruits, trains, and deploys labor in the ports of Montréal, Contrecœur, Trois-Rivières, Bécancour, Hamilton, and Toronto.

Galileo has been designed in collaboration with Montréal-based AI specialist Airudi and with the contribution of San Francisco based Scale AI.

According to the MEA, Galileo will complement the Port of Montréal’s projects by providing unprecedented supply chain visibility. The new tool makes it possible to accurately predict the arrival time of ships up to 21 days in advance — a major improvement over the status quo which allows for only 24 hours of real-time visibility.

Taking into account port traffic, the weather, and the quantity and type of merchandise, Galileo will propose an optimal scenario for the dispatch of the labor force that both respects the collective agreements, and factors in the availability of port workers and the required classifications. Terminal operators will therefore have an additional resource at their disposal to help them make better decisions regarding their labour needs.

The MEA will share the data with the other supply chain stakeholders regarding the average time required for unloading and loading ships, based on the number of workers, and will advise them as to the best time of day to begin their operations.

Expected Benefits

• A reduction in labor shortages
• Optimized hiring costs
• Lower error ratio in labor forecasting
• Optimized technical training programs
• Better coordination between stakeholders thanks to improved visibility on labor capacity

“When I started at the MEA as Vice-President, Information Systems, I realized that there were no technological solutions for providing ship arrival times, real-time data, or ship loading and unloading forecasts,” said Robert Roy, President of the Maritime Employers Association. “Having extensive experience, particularly in aeronautics, this surprised me, but I immediately seized on the opportunity with my team. That’s how the Galileo project was born. Finally, an AI tool to assist the maritime industry’s logistics experts.”

“This innovative project clearly demonstrates the importance of artificial intelligence in improving supply chain processes in order to ensure the fluidity of operations and, consequently, reduce GHGs. Galileo is another example of the positive results of collaboration between all the players in our industry, and of the strengths of Montréal’s AI hub,” said Martin Imbleau, President and CEO of the Montréal Port Authority.