New Delhi

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) on Tuesday said it has expanded its strategic partnership with US-based global software company Kaleris, and will invest up to USD 100 million in two phases to accelerate automation and optimisation.

In a statement, APSEZ said this USD 100 million is part of the USD 850 million investment the company plans in technology and decarbonisation under its 2031 ambition.

Building on Phase 1 deployments across six ports, APSEZ will now scale advanced operating, optimisation and automation capabilities across its maritime and logistics network, the statement added.

As part of the multi-year agreement, Kaleris will deploy its foundational terminal operating system and AI-augmented advanced container handling and optimisation solutions across 15 APSEZ container terminals spanning nine domestic and international ports.

The deployment is expected to deliver tangible efficiency gains -- up to 20 per cent improvement in Rubber Tyred Gantry (RTG) crane productivity, and up to 14 per cent improvement in terminal truck productivity.

APSEZ whole-time Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ashwani Gupta said, "AI-enabled automation will define the next frontier of competitiveness in ports and logistics."

While APSEZ has already deployed an end-to-end digital platform from shore-to-door that provides seamless track-and-trace and integrated command-and-control capabilities, the Kaleris integration will enhance productivity, improve turnaround time, and consistently deliver a superior customer experience, Gupta added.

Kirk Knauff, President and CEO, Kaleris, said: "APSEZ is demonstrating the real impact of an AI-enabled port network at scale. Expanding to all 15 terminals reflects the results already achieved and the trust behind this partnership."

As cargo volumes grow and supply chains become more complex, APSEZ is investing in artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), computer vision and advanced optimisation tools to enable real-time visibility, smarter resource allocation and faster decision-making.

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Kaleris is a global software company providing solutions for supply chain transportation. APSEZ, part of the globally diversified Adani Group, operates a comprehensive ecosystem of 15 strategically located ports and terminals across India's coasts.