Global Market Size, Forecast, and Trend Highlights Over 2025 – 2037
Automated Container Terminal Market size is poised to increase from USD 11.92 billion in 2024 to USD 31.27 billion by 2037, exhibiting a CAGR of more than 7.7% during the forecast period, between 2025 and 2037. Currently in 2025, the industry revenue of automated container terminal is evaluated at USD 12.56 billion.
The growth of the market is set to be influenced by growth in maritime trade. More than 80% of products traded internationally are transported by sea, and this proportion is significantly higher for the majority of developing nations. Hence, the marker revenue is set to expand since it makes it easy to transfer large goods into the ships.
However, owing to the growing people’s consumer demand the size of ships is expanding in order to satisfy their demand. Hence, automation would lessen demurrage and detention, minimize port storage fees, and assist prevent port congestion. Therefore, owing to this the market is predicted to develop even more further over coming years.
Automated Container Terminal Sector: Growth Drivers and Challenges
Growth Drivers
- Urge to Reduce Labor Forces: Since automation essentially eliminates the requirement for manual labor in manual procedures, container ports that have started automating see a reduction in labor costs. These procedures, that once required a large number of men to execute, are currently able to be carried out by a single person in a control tower. Automation aids in accomplishing goals such as decreasing the risk of human error and cutting down on the labor. Automated work processes are quicker and more reliable, which makes them less error-prone.
- Surge in Need to Reduce Carbon Emission: Shipping is crucial to global trade, however regrettably, it uses fossil fuels, which release dangerous greenhouse gases (GHG). About 939 MtCO2 of the global CO2 emissions, or approximately 3%, are caused by the process of shipping every year. Hence, owing to the growing climate change concern the need to reduce emission wherever its possible is growing. Automated container terminals maximize efficiency, preventing empty runs by AGVs as an instance of how this reduces the carbon footprint of the shipping industry.
- Growing Government Initiatives: Many governments across the world are funding port modernization and infrastructure development projects. These projects seek to make each of the ports more competitive and meet the increasing need for container handling. Hence, this could further influence the market expansion.
Challenges
- High Investment Cost Needed for Automated Container Terminal - Many terminal operators, particularly in developing countries, face a considerable obstacle due to the large initial expenditure necessary to deploy automated systems. Hence, organization prefer sticking to the traditional method of handling container. Therefore, this factor is projected to restrain the market expansion.
- Lack of Availability of Skilled Labor in Automated Field
- Complex Handling System of Automated Container Terminal
Automated Container Terminal Market: Key Insights
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Base Year |
2024 |
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Forecast Year |
2025-2037 |
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CAGR |
7.7% |
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Base Year Market Size (2024) |
USD 11.92 billion |
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Forecast Year Market Size (2037) |
USD 31.27 billion |
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Regional Scope |
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Automated Container Terminal Segmentation
Automation (Semi-Automation, Fully Automation, Quay Crane)
The fully automation segment in the automated container terminal market is projected to garner the highest share of about 60% over the forecast period. There has been surge in adoption of technology such AI and ML (machine learning) which is further converting the process fully automated hence reducing the labor need. Moreover, labor working in this industry are prone to accidents owing to which fully automated solution is gaining more preference.
Product (Software, Equipment, Services)
The equipment segment is expected to generate the largest share of about 50% over the forecast period. This encompasses a range of automated equipment and infrastructure needed to properly handle containers, including automated guided vehicles (AGV), automated stacking cranes, and terminal operating systems (TOS).
Our in-depth analysis of the global market includes the following segments:
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Automation |
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Product |
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Project |
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Customize this ReportAutomated Container Terminal Industry- Regional Synopsis
North American Marker Forecast
The North America automated container terminal market is poised to hold the largest revenue share of about 30% over the forecast period. The major element influencing market growth in this region is growing adoption of robots. North American installations was predicted to expand by about 16% to over 42,000 units in 2021. Hence, the deployment of robots in shipping industry is also growing. Consequently, the market for automated container terminal is set to grow in this region.
APAC Market Analysis
The automated container terminal market in Asia Pacific is also set to have notable growth over the coming years. The demand for essential products is largely met by imports in the developing nations of Asia Pacific. Food, gasoline, medicine, and useful resources including industrial machinery and appliances are among the major imports that are transported mostly by sea. As a result, the market is slated to rise in this region.
Companies Dominating the Automated Container Terminal Landscape
- APM Terminals
- Company Overview
- Business Strategy
- Key Product Offerings
- Financial Performance
- Key Performance Indicators
- Risk Analysis
- Recent Development
- Regional Presence
- SWOT Analysis
- DP World Limited
- Port of Hamburg Marketing
- Port of Los Angeles
- Port of Long Beach
- Port of Barcelona
- Busan Port Authority
- Cargotec Corporation
- Konecranes
- Liebherr-International Deutschland GmbH
In the News
- ZPMC provided two more automated straddle carriers to APM Terminals as part of a groundbreaking pilot project in a real terminal setting at the yard in Aarhus. In this situation, they will work with the basic prototype, which was already unveiled at the start of 2022.
- The premier smart trade enabler, DP World Limited, UAE Region, has announced that ZODIAC, a terminal operating system (TOS), has been fully implemented in Jebel Ali Port's Container Terminal 3 (CT3). The action is a further step towards achieving the goal of DP World, UAE Region, which is to be a leader in smart transformation in its ports and logistics hub. The fully automated system has cutting-edge methods for remote management of the port's assets.
Author Credits: Richa Gupta
- Report ID: 5281
- Published Date: Mar 20, 2025
- Report Format: PDF, PPT
