Despite these advances, compared to other sectors, the transport<\/strong> sector shows a lower degree in terms of levels of technology adoption<\/strong>. To this day, it is still common to find printed documents, telephone calls or radio transmissions being used to make requests, carry out procedures or control goods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If we focus on ports<\/strong>, despite the rise of automated terminals<\/strong>, we find a very uneven implementation that also tends to depend largely on the level of local development<\/strong>. As a result, a highly fragmented<\/strong> landscape has emerged, in which the absence of standards<\/strong> becomes the general norm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this context, both industries<\/strong> and institutions<\/strong> have decided to take a step forward. To pioneers such as Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transport<\/a><\/strong> (UN\/EDIFACT) and the barcode have been joined by initiatives such as the Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA)<\/strong><\/a>,<\/strong> the European Union’s Digital Transport and Logistics Forum (DTLF)<\/strong><\/a>, the Open Logistics Foundation (OLF)<\/strong><\/a>and the Terminal Industry Committee 4.0<\/strong>.<\/a> Although they all cover different areas, they share the same objective<\/strong>: to promote the creation<\/strong> and adoption<\/strong> of common standards and regulations<\/strong> that facilitate the implementation of digital standards<\/strong> in the logistics<\/strong> and transport<\/strong> sectors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This analysis aims to shed light on the current landscape of standardization<\/strong> in transport<\/strong> and how different initiatives can collaborate with each other to face the major challenge of the digitalization<\/strong> in the maritime-port sector<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Currently, technological advances<\/strong> make it possible to hold natural, fluid conversations, generate images, and automate tasks using artificial intelligence<\/strong> through almost any medium. However, the transport<\/strong> sector still has a limited degree of digitalization<\/strong> compared to other areas. Indeed, even today, in many environments, telephone calls, radio communications, email exchanges and even paper documents are still relied upon to convey information about routes, goods or service reservations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Furthermore, the implementation of digital systems<\/strong> has proceeded at a very uneven pace, usually driven by investments<\/strong> in large port facilities<\/strong> or terminal operators<\/strong>, which have acted as an \u2018incentive\u2019 for other modes of transport<\/strong> to adopt these systems. According to the joint study by Boston Consulting Group and TIC 4.0 (2025), those ports<\/strong> that have reached a critical mass in terminal capacity or ecosystem \u2018have a significantly more mature degree of digitalization<\/strong>\u2019 (Parlongue et al<\/em>. 2025).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Within the port<\/strong> context, the adoption of technologies such as the Internet of Things<\/strong> (IoT), artificial intelligence<\/strong><\/a>, big data<\/strong>, blockchain<\/strong> and high-speed networks<\/strong> (such as 5G) enables more efficient management of resources<\/strong>, greater traceability of the flow of goods<\/strong> and optimisation<\/strong> of operational processes<\/strong>. These innovations help to reduce waiting times, streamline cargo handling and minimise internal congestion, resulting in a substantial improvement in productivity and the experience of all actors in the logistics chain. In addition, digitalization promotes environmental sustainability by enabling the monitoring and control of emissions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Regarding terminal automation<\/strong> and according to Drewry (2024), in 2024, only 72 of the 850 container terminals<\/strong> worldwide were fully or partially automated (Port Economics, Management and Policy 2024). Besides being costly, the automation of a port facility<\/strong>, whether newly built or adapted, involves the deployment of software<\/strong> and hardware solutions to \u201cweave\u201d the communications network between machines and operators. With good implementation, the latter can use the data generated to evaluate the performance of the facilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, there is a wide variety of solutions adopted, as these tend to depend on the nature of the investment<\/strong>: the fact of whether the investment is in brownfield or greenfield, the machinery manufacturer, country of implementation, and company are important factors, in addition to the type of systems <\/strong>used by the port authorities<\/strong>. However, the transition to digital systems<\/strong> is not without its challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the main challenges is the high initial cost of implementation<\/strong>, which can be a barrier, especially for smaller ports<\/strong> or regions with fewer resources. Investment in digital infrastructure, IoT sensors, 5G networks<\/strong> and automated systems<\/strong> requires sound financial planning<\/strong> and sometimes public-private partnerships or green financing instruments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, there are also cultural<\/strong> and organizational<\/strong> barriers: many organizations in the logistics-port sector<\/strong> are accustomed to traditional processes and require a change in mindset, staff training and change management to fully adopt digital technologies. This human aspect is as important as technological investment; without the active participation of key decision-makers and proper training, advanced systems<\/strong> will not be able to realise their full potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fortunately, the industry has responded by driving advances in the regulatory framework<\/strong> and promoting international collaboration initiatives around digitalization <\/strong>and common standards<\/strong>. In this area, the International Maritime Organisation<\/strong> (IMO 2022) is promoting the adoption of digital standards<\/strong>, whose technical deployment and alignment are reinforced by the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) standards register, which facilitates their consistent implementation by maritime authorities<\/strong>, ports <\/strong>and technology providers<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Beyond the port, the digitalization<\/strong> of transport <\/strong>as a whole \u2014 from road to rail \u2014 is driving a more transparent <\/strong>and efficient logistics chain<\/strong>. These strategies connect different modes of transport, facilitate the synchronisation <\/strong>of data <\/strong>in real time and open up new opportunities<\/strong> for efficient <\/strong>and sustainable multimodal travel<\/strong>. The aim is to reduce congestion, increase road safety and lower emissions, while creating a more accessible and competitive environment for users and operators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the political level, the European Union (EU)<\/strong> is promoting the homogenization<\/strong> of procedures<\/strong> and the mutual recognition<\/strong> of documents<\/strong>, as evidenced by initiatives such as the European Maritime Single Window Environment (EMSWe)<\/strong><\/a> and the Electronic Freight Transport Information (eFTI)<\/strong><\/a>. In this context, the Digital Transport and Logistics Forum (DTLF)<\/strong> has been created, a group of experts established by the European Commission whose mission is to advise<\/strong> and support<\/strong> the digitalization<\/strong> of transport<\/strong> and logistics<\/strong> throughout the EU. More specifically:<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\nAnalysis<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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