Singapore's Quantum Leap: Port Authority Partners with National Research Foundation on Quantum Optimization for Cargo Logistics
June 18, 2018
Singapore’s Mega-Port Vision Meets Quantum Innovation
As the world’s second-busiest port by container volume, Singapore’s Port Authority (PSA) has long been an international benchmark for maritime logistics. In June 2018, PSA made headlines not just for its throughput, but for launching a national initiative to explore how quantum computing could optimize port logistics on an unprecedented scale.
The effort was spearheaded in partnership with:
Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF)
Centre for Quantum Technologies (CQT) at the National University of Singapore
Industry collaborators including DHL, IBM, and ST Engineering
The project focused on quantum optimization of cargo routing, berth scheduling, and autonomous vehicle coordination at the Tuas Mega Port, a $20 billion facility expected to be fully operational by the 2040s.
Quantum Optimization for Container Flow Management
Among the key logistics challenges the initiative set out to address:
Assigning optimal berths to incoming vessels to minimize turnaround time.
Dynamically routing thousands of Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) across limited space.
Sequencing crane operations for both imports and exports.
Managing container stacking and retrieval in tight timeframes.
These problems fall into the class of NP-hard combinatorial optimization, where the number of possible solutions explodes exponentially with each new variable—rendering classical computing inadequate for real-time optimization at mega-port scales.
Enter quantum annealing.
In a white paper presented internally in June 2018, researchers from CQT and PSA described the potential use of D-Wave’s 2000Q quantum annealer to simulate key decision-making processes in container routing. While not a universal quantum computer, the D-Wave system had demonstrated capability for solving:
Vehicle routing problems
Bin packing
Job shop scheduling
These directly correlate with high-volume logistics workflows.
PSA’s Quantum Sandbox: A Simulated Port
To test these theories, PSA constructed a quantum simulation sandbox with the support of IBM’s Q Experience, running early port scheduling problems on cloud-accessible 5-qubit superconducting machines.
The objective was not only to simulate real-world port operations, but also to:
Benchmark quantum vs. classical algorithms.
Identify where hybrid models (classical + quantum) deliver the most improvement.
Gauge error rates and latency thresholds for practical deployment.
By late June 2018, PSA had completed early tests on a simplified “mini-port” model involving:
10 ship arrivals
100 containers
4 berths
12 AGVs
Results suggested that quantum-enhanced algorithms could reduce average berth idle time by 18%, and AGV routing conflicts by 21%—crucial gains for high-volume operations.
Strategic Alignment with Singapore’s Smart Nation 2025 Plan
This quantum logistics initiative was not an isolated experiment, but part of Singapore’s broader Smart Nation 2025 roadmap—an ambitious national effort to future-proof key industries through deep technology integration.
In June 2018, the National Research Foundation explicitly included quantum technologies in its funding mandate for Smart Port and Maritime 4.0 applications.
“Maritime is mission-critical for Singapore’s economy,” noted Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister-in-Charge of the Smart Nation Programme Office. “Quantum computing offers novel capabilities for decision-making at scales classical systems struggle with. We see long-term potential in port logistics, cybersecurity, and AI integration.”
This placed PSA’s efforts at the intersection of three frontier technologies:
Quantum optimization
Autonomous robotics
Real-time AI forecasting
A Global Model: Interest from Rotterdam, Busan, and Dubai
Singapore’s move quickly drew global attention. In June 2018:
Port of Rotterdam officials met with NRF representatives to explore similar collaborations in the EU.
Busan Port Authority (South Korea) invited CQT faculty to a seminar on port simulation using quantum algorithms.
DP World (Dubai) reached out to Singapore's Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) about knowledge-sharing frameworks for quantum logistics trials.
While none of these resulted in formal agreements in June, the momentum suggested a global appetite for quantum-enhanced port orchestration, especially as container volumes continue to rise with e-commerce and intermodal trade.
IBM’s Early Role and Qiskit Integration
A key enabler of PSA’s project was IBM, whose Qiskit SDK allowed researchers to model complex port operations as quantum circuits.
By June 2018:
IBM’s 5-qubit and 16-qubit systems were accessible via cloud API.
Quantum “toy models” of container scheduling and berth management were shared via Qiskit tutorials.
PSA’s technical team began developing quantum-classical hybrid schedulers using IBM’s Variational Quantum Eigensolver (VQE) to encode container movement pathways.
IBM also connected PSA with its IBM Research Tokyo division, which had begun studying supply chain cryptography resilience—hinting at a longer-term vision combining optimization and security.
Quantum Challenges: Noise, Scale, and Talent
Despite the excitement, PSA leaders were quick to temper expectations in June 2018.
“Quantum advantage remains years away for full-scale port operations,” noted a joint PSA-NRF statement. “But strategic experimentation must start now, or we risk being late to a paradigm shift.”
Major limitations at the time included:
Noisy qubits, requiring robust error correction.
Limited system sizes—most available devices capped at 20 qubits.
Scarcity of quantum-literate engineers and logistics experts.
To address talent gaps, CQT launched a summer internship track for operations researchers from NUS, with the goal of training quantum-savvy logistics specialists.
Commercial Implications: Faster Turnarounds, Lower Costs
Why does quantum optimization matter in ports?
Every hour saved in port operations translates to:
Lower fuel consumption (idle ships burn thousands of dollars per hour).
Faster turnaround times for shippers and freight forwarders.
Reduced congestion for local transport networks.
Better scheduling for last-mile distribution.
PSA estimated that if quantum optimization could shave just 10% off average container dwell times, the port could save $150 million annually in operating expenses.
Conclusion: Singapore Sets the Quantum Standard in Global Ports
In June 2018, Singapore did more than experiment with quantum computing—it issued a signal to the global logistics world: the time to explore quantum optimization is now.
By embedding quantum trials into the strategic planning of the Tuas Mega Port, Singapore became the first maritime hub to seriously investigate how quantum capabilities could shape the future of port orchestration, automation, and cargo flow.
Though practical deployment remains years away, the groundwork laid in June 2018 provided the quantum logistics community with a powerful case study: if it can work in Singapore, it can work anywhere.