Singapore’s Quantum Logistics Bet: National University Partners with PSA to Explore Future Port Optimization
August 14, 2018
The Lion City Eyes Quantum for Its Maritime Crown Jewel
Singapore’s economy is synonymous with trade and logistics. In a bid to maintain its global edge, the island-state is making an early move into an emerging frontier: quantum computing for logistics optimization. In mid-August 2018, the National University of Singapore (NUS) and PSA International, one of the world’s largest port operators, announced a joint research initiative with the Centre for Quantum Technologies (CQT) to explore how quantum algorithms might reshape port logistics in the coming decades.
The collaboration, which launched under Singapore’s national Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2020 (RIE2020) plan, is designed as a long-horizon effort to anticipate quantum disruption in:
Container routing and scheduling
Berth allocation optimization
Supply chain predictive analytics
Port congestion modeling and resilience
Though the project is in its early stages, it underscores Singapore’s broader ambition to become a global quantum logistics innovation hub.
PSA’s Need for Next-Generation Optimization
As the main operator of Singapore’s Tuas Mega Port—an $18 billion smart terminal under construction since 2015—PSA International faces the challenge of moving up to 65 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) annually by 2040. With throughput volumes surging and global shipping routes evolving rapidly, PSA must optimize for:
Vessel arrival uncertainties
Real-time berth scheduling
Container transfer between ships and inland transport
Energy efficiency and emissions reduction
While AI and machine learning are already in use at PSA’s existing terminals, quantum computing may eventually allow PSA to solve NP-hard optimization problems—like the Quadratic Assignment Problem (QAP) or Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP)—far more efficiently.
As part of the initiative, PSA is working closely with CQT physicists and quantum software engineers to model problem classes best suited to near-term quantum devices, including hybrid quantum-classical solvers.
CQT: Singapore’s Flagship Quantum R&D Hub
The Centre for Quantum Technologies (CQT), based at NUS, has been at the forefront of quantum science since its founding in 2007. Backed by Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF), CQT has contributed to fundamental advances in:
Quantum cryptography
Quantum communications
Quantum simulations
Emerging quantum software applications
In August 2018, researchers at CQT began scoping port-related optimization models that could be translated into quantum annealing problems or variational algorithms, aligning with the capabilities of systems like those from D-Wave, IBM Q, or Rigetti.
“The optimization complexity of port operations makes it a natural proving ground for quantum advantage,” said Professor José Ignacio Latorre, lead theoretical physicist at CQT. “Our work with PSA aims to identify which quantum algorithms might offer practical value—even if the quantum hardware isn’t fully mature yet.”
Research Structure: Modeling Now, Quantum Later
As of August 2018, the research collaboration is structured around a three-phase roadmap:
Problem Mapping and Quantum Suitability (2018–2019)
Define core logistics challenges and assess which can be framed for quantum optimization.Classical-Quantum Hybrid Simulation (2020–2022)
Run test cases using simulators and early quantum cloud platforms (IBM Q, D-Wave Leap).Hardware-Based Deployment (post-2023)
When viable quantum hardware exists, deploy in small-scale operational settings at Tuas.
The team is already using CQT’s access to IBM’s Q Experience platform to simulate quantum approximate optimization algorithm (QAOA) runs for berth scheduling and cargo stacking problems.
Why Quantum Now?
Though practical quantum advantage for industrial optimization is still years away, PSA and NUS view this investment as a long-term strategic hedge. The maritime industry is notoriously infrastructure-intensive and slow to digitize. By investing now, Singapore can future-proof itself against two emerging global forces:
Quantum Disruption
Logistics platforms not built to interface with quantum algorithms may fall behind when advantage emerges.Geopolitical Fragmentation
As global trade routes realign post-TPP and amid US-China tensions (already heating up in 2018), Singapore must ensure resilient, optimized, and sovereign port infrastructure.
“The future is uncertain, but that’s exactly why we explore quantum logistics now—so we’re ready when the wave hits,” said Dr. Lam Mei Hua, Head of Innovation at PSA Labs.
Competitive Benchmarking: Where Else Quantum Logistics Is Heating Up
Singapore is not alone in recognizing the potential of quantum in logistics. As of August 2018:
Volkswagen and D-Wave were scaling traffic flow simulations in Europe and China.
DHL published a whitepaper outlining quantum applications for supply chain optimization.
Japan’s RIKEN and Toyota initiated early-stage quantum simulation studies for automotive logistics.
China’s National Lab for Quantum Information Science began hinting at smart logistics as a target domain.
But Singapore’s effort is unique in its port-centric focus—an area where traditional optimization techniques often run into hard limitations due to the sheer scale and variability of maritime flows.
Building the Quantum Port Operating System
A core idea behind the NUS-PSA-CQT project is the eventual development of a quantum-ready port operating system (Q-POS)—a modular logistics platform designed to:
Integrate real-time data from vessels, yard cranes, and customs systems
Feed live inputs into quantum solvers
Return actionable scheduling, allocation, and routing decisions within seconds
While the Q-POS architecture remains conceptual, its development parallels work by firms like Zapata Computing and QC Ware, who are also building hybrid quantum logistics APIs.
Funding and Ecosystem Support
The project is supported by the Singapore National Research Foundation’s Quantum Engineering Programme (QEP), which earmarked SGD $25 million in 2018 to accelerate quantum applications in:
Urban mobility
Cybersecurity
Logistics optimization
Precision manufacturing
This national backing ensures continuity even during periods of uncertain ROI—a critical factor in deep-tech research.
Additionally, PSA’s involvement in the World Port Sustainability Program (WPSP) brings the results of the collaboration to a broader global stage, including potential pilot collaborations with Port of Rotterdam, Antwerp, and Los Angeles.
Toward a Quantum-Smart Maritime Future
The Tuas Mega Port—slated for full completion by 2040—is Singapore’s most ambitious infrastructure project to date. Designed with autonomous vehicles, AI-driven stacking, and digitized customs, Tuas aims to be the most efficient port on Earth.
Adding quantum optimization into this mix could give Singapore:
Substantial energy savings through optimized crane and vehicle scheduling
Reduced turnaround times for ships and trucks
More resilient logistics flows amid geopolitical or climate disruptions
This makes quantum not just an academic curiosity, but a potential national differentiator.
Conclusion: Singapore’s Quantum Advantage Is a Strategic Play
As quantum computing transitions from lab novelty to applied tool, nations with long-term tech visions are staking early ground. With its PSA-CQT-NUS collaboration, Singapore is positioning itself as the global testbed for quantum-enhanced maritime logistics.
August 2018’s announcement may not have turned many heads globally, but for those tracking the convergence of quantum computing and critical infrastructure, it was a signal that the maritime world is about to be re-optimized.
The quantum tide is rising—and Singapore intends to be the first to sail with it.