Tata Elxsi Deploys Quantum-AI Logistics Suite to Modernize Indian Coastal Shipping
February 2, 2024
In a major step toward reinventing India’s maritime infrastructure, Tata Elxsi has launched a groundbreaking quantum-AI logistics suite designed specifically for optimizing coastal shipping operations across India’s vast shoreline. The announcement, made on February 2, 2024, highlights India’s growing ambitions to apply emerging technologies like quantum computing and artificial intelligence (AI) to its maritime logistics ecosystem under the country’s flagship Sagarmala program.
Built in collaboration with India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, the new system integrates quantum-enhanced solvers into a cloud-based logistics platform that manages route planning, berth allocation, port scheduling, transshipment, and predictive maintenance. Tata Elxsi has initially deployed the suite across three key ports—Kochi, Mumbai, and Visakhapatnam—each critical to India's east–west coastal trade flows.
The project signals a shift from traditional digital planning tools to next-generation quantum-classical hybrid algorithms, enabling real-time optimization in complex port environments that involve thousands of dynamic variables—from container arrival sequences to crane maintenance cycles and tidal conditions.
Quantum-AI Integration: A First for Indian Port Infrastructure
At the heart of Tata Elxsi’s innovation is a set of quantum-inspired solvers running on hybrid computing architectures. These solvers use quantum algorithms to model and resolve combinatorial optimization problems—such as berth allocation, vessel arrival sequencing, and cargo mixing for transshipment—that are otherwise computationally intensive or unsolvable in real time with classical approaches.
The algorithms, developed in partnership with IBM Quantum and QpiAI, use quantum annealing and variational quantum eigensolvers (VQE) where appropriate, while offloading less complex tasks to traditional high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure. This hybrid design allows for real-time responsiveness even under peak port traffic scenarios.
“Quantum-inspired logistics optimization is no longer theoretical—it’s operational,” said Dr. Rahul Krishnamurthy, Chief Systems Architect at Tata Elxsi. “Our system can now plan dynamic berth schedules for container vessels arriving simultaneously, taking into account crane availability, port congestion, customs requirements, and vessel priorities within seconds.”
Pilot Sites and Operational Performance
The first deployment phase spans three of India’s busiest coastal gateways:
Mumbai Port: India’s oldest and most prominent west coast port, handling containerized goods, automobiles, and steel.
Kochi Port: A major hub for agricultural exports and coastal cargo, especially along the southwest corridor.
Visakhapatnam Port: Strategically located on the eastern coast, crucial for bulk cargo like minerals and energy commodities.
During initial trials, the system produced significant gains in operational efficiency and resource utilization, including:
10–13% increase in berth utilization through quantum-enhanced vessel scheduling
15% reduction in unscheduled crane outages via predictive maintenance algorithms
8% improvement in container dwell time accuracy, allowing better customs clearance forecasts
Reduced waiting times by 11%, resulting in lower demurrage and fuel usage
These figures are especially significant considering India’s growing cargo throughput. Coastal shipping currently accounts for 7% of the country’s freight movement, with the government aiming to raise this figure to 10–12% by 2030 as part of its push to decarbonize long-haul logistics.
Sagarmala Meets Quantum Intelligence
This technological rollout is supported under the Sagarmala initiative, India’s national program to modernize ports and boost coastal shipping through digital transformation, infrastructure upgrades, and port-led industrialization.
Quantum-AI integration aligns perfectly with the Sagarmala vision. In particular, the quantum platform addresses several long-standing logistical bottlenecks:
Berth Allocation Problem (BAP): Determining the optimal sequence and timing for ships to dock is a classic NP-hard problem. The quantum solvers allow near-instantaneous planning, even when multiple vessels arrive at the same port within tight windows.
Inter-Port Transshipment Complexity: Coastal cargo often needs to move from minor ports to major terminals for export. Quantum models help calculate the most efficient cargo routing patterns, minimizing delays and improving asset utilization.
Port Crane Maintenance Optimization: Using sensor telemetry and historical performance data, the AI module predicts mechanical failures before they occur, scheduling maintenance in low-traffic windows to avoid disrupting operations.
“This is not just a logistics platform—it’s a national infrastructure upgrade,” noted Nidhi Verma, Technical Advisor to the Ministry of Ports. “With the quantum layer in place, our port ecosystem becomes future-proof, intelligent, and globally competitive.”
Partnership Ecosystem: IBM Quantum and QpiAI
Tata Elxsi’s platform leverages IBM’s Qiskit Runtime environment and quantum backends accessible through IBM Quantum systems hosted on IBM Cloud. These include superconducting quantum processors, which are currently among the most stable and commercially accessible in the world.
QpiAI, an Indian deep-tech company based in Bengaluru, contributed optimization libraries and quantum-classical reinforcement learning modules specifically designed for container logistics. These algorithms allow the system to “learn” from historical port movements, refining its output over time.
The suite also integrates classical AI capabilities developed using PyTorch, TensorFlow, and ONNX Runtime, with RESTful APIs built for interoperability with Indian Customs and DG Shipping systems. This multi-layered architecture ensures that quantum innovation fits seamlessly within the country’s evolving port digitization roadmap.
Augmented Reality and On-Port Interfaces
One of the standout features of the logistics suite is its augmented reality (AR) interface, deployed through smart tablets and headsets used by port operators and crane supervisors.
Through AR overlays, users can view:
Real-time berth assignment visualizations
Container stack heatmaps
Crane maintenance alerts
Predictive dwell time graphs for customs clearance
Estimated time-of-arrival (ETA) scenarios under different weather conditions
This user interface, powered by Unity3D and WebXR, transforms complex quantum-derived data into actionable insights for field personnel, enhancing decision-making speed and situational awareness.
“We’ve effectively put quantum intelligence in the hands of crane operators and yard planners,” explained Tanvi Deshmukh, UX Lead at Tata Elxsi. “No more running back to a desktop terminal or relying on radio updates—the whole operation is visible in AR.”
Scalability and Future Expansion Plans
Following the successful pilot, Tata Elxsi aims to expand the system to additional ports, including Chennai, Paradip, Kandla, and Haldia, by late 2024. The roadmap also includes:
Integration with Inland Waterway Terminals on the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers
Quantum-AI assisted coastal ferry route scheduling for passenger and light cargo operations
Real-time emissions tracking and carbon score optimization per voyage
Container fraud detection using AI+quantum signal analysis for tamper-proof tracking
Longer-term, Tata Elxsi is exploring potential export of the platform to ports in Southeast Asia and Africa, particularly nations involved in India’s SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) maritime cooperation framework.
The Strategic Significance of Coastal Shipping Optimization
Coastal shipping is a strategic pillar of India’s long-term logistics resilience strategy. It offers lower carbon emissions, reduced traffic congestion on highways, and cost-efficient movement of heavy bulk goods. However, inefficiencies in scheduling, port capacity usage, and container tracking have historically held back growth.
The introduction of quantum-enhanced logistics optimization provides the tools needed to reverse that trend. By addressing latency in decision-making and improving throughput without additional physical infrastructure, Tata Elxsi’s solution allows India to unlock the full potential of its 7,500-kilometer coastline.
“The game has changed,” said Ajay Bhattacharya, Director of the National Logistics Division. “We’re now using the same tech stack that financial markets use for nanosecond trading—only we’re applying it to cargo, ships, and cranes.”
Conclusion: India’s Maritime Quantum Leap
With the launch of its quantum-AI logistics suite, Tata Elxsi has positioned India as a pioneer in the practical application of quantum computing in maritime logistics. The project demonstrates how next-generation algorithms can resolve legacy inefficiencies in port operations, transforming a centuries-old trade network into a digitally orchestrated system.
Backed by government support, partnerships with quantum leaders, and an architecture designed for real-world deployment, this initiative is poised to scale both geographically and functionally.
As India pursues a future of logistics modernization, coastal empowerment, and digital infrastructure resilience, Tata Elxsi’s quantum leap may very well redefine how cargo flows across the Indian Ocean—and beyond.