Taiwan official backs AI-driven modernization of Philippine harbors

By Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio, Reporter

THE Philippines needs to tap artificial intelligence (AI) in port management to modernize its harbors while also easing traffic to help streamline shipping activity, an official of the company running Taiwan’s Kaohsiung port said.

Monique Chang, director of the Port of Kaohsiung, which is managed by Taiwan International Ports Corp., said last week that it is not too late for the Philippines to catch up by upgrading its ports to world‑class standards.

Ms. Chang made the remarks in the context of broader efforts by Manila and Taipei to boost economic connectivity.

Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan has adopted advanced automation and AI technologies, which have helped ease harbor congestion.

“If the government and port companies cooperate to address these gaps, they could be closed quickly,” Ms. Chang said on the sidelines of a port development forum in Kaohsiung, Taiwan’s main port city.

Taiwan and the Philippines aim to deepen economic ties, with Taipei seeking to participate in developing Philippine ports to bolster trade connectivity as Taiwan seeks to make its supply chains more resilient.

Taiwan officials have told BusinessWorld that Taipei is pursuing industry expansion and deeper economic ties with Manila in the face of their shared security concerns.

Kaohsiung port offers many technology learning opportunities for the Philippines, Josephine M. Napiere, acting manager of the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) operations department, told BusinessWorld on Thursday.

“What we have… is not fully automated yet,” she added

Ms. Chang said Taiwan made major investments in port infrastructure decades ago.

“There’s lots of government subsidies in port construction work,” she said “That’s what supports port construction, to make it advanced.”

Congestion is a problem for Philippine ports, she added.

“If the traffic can’t adjust, that would impact logistics performance, and that would have a big effect on global trade,” Ms. Chang said.

In terms of land traffic, Metro Manila is one of the most congested cities, ranking ninth‑worst globally in the 2024 TomTom Traffic Index.

“Our area is really limited,” Ms. Napiere said. “If our roads were properly planned, then goods could move around quickly.”

She said a national plan should be developed to streamline road infrastructure leading to and from ports to ensure seamless connectivity.

Meanwhile, Ms. Chang said that harnessing AI could also lead to significant port improvements in the Philippines.

“Port management and logistics operations involve a lot of moving parts,” she said, citing the importance of a seamless process from ship entry into harbors to warehouse management.

“AI is a huge thing, but here’s a lot of different systems and different operations for their application,” Ms. Chang said.

Philippine ports have a digitalization plan, Ms. Napiere said, which is awaiting approval of the PPA board.