Source: Adapted from Drewry Shipping Consultants and Port Equipment Manufacturers Association.
Container terminal automation follows a standard technological diffusion cycle that involves adoption, growth, peak growth, and maturity, which represents full adoption. Until the late 2000s, only a few terminals implemented automation strategies because these strategies involved unproven technologies, high capital costs, and significant risk. Then, from the early 2010s, the number of automated terminals increased rapidly as equipment was standardized and automation costs declined. Since then, the number of automated terminals has steadily increased, but automation remains a capital-intensive endeavor.
As of 2025, 77 terminals were automated, totaling more than 5,670 hectares of terminal surface, which still represents less than 10% of all main terminals. Although semi-automated terminals are the most common, their diffusion has slowed in recent years as the share of fully and completely automated terminals steadily increased. Since 2021, completely automated terminals have been the fastest-growing segment. The diffusion of container terminal automation is likely to continue over the next decade. It remains unclear whether it will encompass a large number of container terminals or remain a niche, circumstantial application. It is also expected that various forms of operational and process automation will be embedded in container terminals to the point that the distinction between automated and non-automated will be blurred.