Smart Port Technologies: A Scoping Review

Abstract

The maritime industry is undergoing a profound digital transformation, with smart ports emerging as critical nodes in global supply chains. This comprehensive literature review synthesizes current research on key enabling technologies for smart ports, including Digital Twins, Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), Computer Vision, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), automation systems, and cybersecurity frameworks. This review identifies major technological trends, applications, benefits, challenges, and future research directions. The findings reveal that smart port technologies cluster around five core pillars: (1) Digital Twin, (2) Blockchain and Distributed Ledger, (3) Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics, (4) IoT, 5G, and Connectivity Infrastructure, (5) Computer Vision, UAVs, and Sensing for Smart Ports, and (6) Automation, Robotics, and Autonomous Systems. Cross-cutting themes emphasize the need for interoperability standards, human-centric research, and empirical deployment evaluations. Research gaps include limited empirical studies of real-world implementations, insufficient attention to workforce impacts, and lack of standardized frameworks for technology integration. This review provides a comprehensive foundation for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers working toward the realization of fully autonomous, sustainable, and efficient smart ports