Hyundai Glovis, the logistics arm of Hyundai Motor Group, said Wednesday it has introduced an in-house developed artificial intelligence-based stowage planning system for its vehicle carriers to improve operational efficiency and safety.
Stowage planning — the complex process of determining the optimal cargo arrangement — is critical for maximizing space and ensuring vessel stability.
Under the new system, the AI automatically calculates optimal stowage positions based on vehicle type, volume and port rotation, while taking into account cargo weight, height and discharge order, the company said.
Previously, this process was performed manually, a labor-intensive task given that a typical pure car and truck carrier transports more than 6,000 vehicles to multiple ports per voyage.
Planners had to account for varying vessel structures and constantly changing cargo lists, while placing heavy equipment on lower decks to maintain the ship’s center of gravity and seaworthiness.
To address these constraints, Hyundai Glovis has secured a patent for a data model that structures a vessel’s internal layout by deck and zone. The model enables the AI system to recognize spatial limitations, verify vehicle movement routes, and ensure compliance with weight distribution and discharge sequences.
“The AI-generated plans demonstrated safety and efficiency levels comparable to those designed by human experts, while reducing planning time by approximately 50 percent,” a Hyundai Glovis official said. “We expect to reduce the time by more than 90 percent as the technology matures.”
Hyundai Glovis said it plans to roll out the technology across its entire fleet of car carriers.
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