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Marine Services Planner - Optimizing Vessel Movements
- David Yeo
- Sep 17, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 21
This week, we are excited to announce the launch of marineM PMIS, which powers ADNOC Logistics & Services's A.I. Smart Port system across all ADNOC petroleum ports in the United Arab Emirates. This initiative marks a first in the Gulf region, as detailed in this article. The system had its soft launch in mid-2024 and has been fully operational since the end of that year. At its core is marineM’s AI scheduling engine, which transforms complex port operations into real-time optimization. The results from 15 months of operations are impressive:
Planning time reduced from 3 hours to just 45 seconds
Smarter utilization of pilots, tugs, pilot boats, mooring teams, line boats, loading masters, riggers, and tailback boats
Higher efficiency, lower fuel burn, and enhanced sustainability
Cost savings from reduced fuel consumption, more efficient operations, and fewer delays
A New Kind of Challenge - Optimizing for SPM Operations
marineM has been deployed in some of the busiest container and multi-purpose ports in the world, including Port of Tanjung Pelepas and Johor Port, which handles over 80 vessel movements a day. Since 2015, when marineM's Marine Services Planner was first launched, the AI scheduling engine has optimized the planning of pilotage, towage, pilot logistics (such as pilot car pickups and pilot boats), mooring teams, and line boats to support the arrival and departure of cargo vessels.
ADNOC Logistics & Services presents a new challenge. Tanker vessels do not merely arrive and depart at berths. The complexity of planning increases significantly with tankers arriving at and departing from SPM operations. Here is what that entails:
Pilots who double as loading masters must be scheduled not only for arrivals but also reassigned for SPM operations, ensuring that the duty loading master has sufficient rest.
Tugboats with extended capabilities need to support the arrival leg and then serve as tailback tugs during cargo operations.
The AI scheduling engine now plans across three legs — arrival, cargo, and departure — each with interdependent resource requirements.
Adding to this complexity are weather-driven diversions, anchorage shifts, and the need to respect resource-specific constraints (like crew rest hours). Yet, marineM’s AI dynamically rebalances allocations, ensuring resilience and efficiency even under uncertainty.
From Planning to Dispatch: The Role of Harbour Apps
Planning is only half the story. Execution relies on seamless communication with every frontline team. This is where marineM Harbour Apps come into play:
Pilots receive real-time job assignments and updates.
Tug crews and pilot boat operators get precise dispatch instructions synced with vessel ETA changes.
Mooring and line boat teams coordinate mobilization without delays.
Loading masters, riggers, and tailback boats are dispatched directly into SPM workflows.
Each Harbour App connects back to the Marine Services Planner, creating a closed-loop system where schedules aren’t just designed — they’re executed with accountability and transparency.
The Roadmap That Builds Next-Gen Solutions
Today, the Marine Services Planner supports container ports, multi-purpose ports, and now petroleum ports. But we’re only getting started.
The next generation Marine Services Planner will:
Integrate more AI-assisted flows to handle even richer operational scenarios.
Deploy upgraded predictive models for greater precision in scheduling and risk management.
Operate on a revamped, scalable architecture, capable of processing high-volume, real-time requests without performance trade-offs.
The future is clear: tomorrow’s Marine Services Planner will go beyond efficiency to become part of the nerve centre for smart port ecosystems.
Conclusion
The launch of marineM PMIS represents a significant advancement in port management technology. With its AI-driven capabilities, it not only enhances operational efficiency but also supports sustainability initiatives. As we look towards the future, the continuous evolution of the Marine Services Planner will ensure that ports remain competitive and capable of meeting the demands of an ever-changing maritime landscape.
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