Source: Adapted from Drewry Shipping Consultants and Port Equipment Manufacturers Association.
Container terminal automation follows a diffusion cycle that involves a phase of adoption, growth, peak growth, and maturity. Until the late 2000s, only a few terminals implemented automation strategies because they involved unproven technologies with 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 2024, 72 terminals were partially or fully automated, totaling more than 5,470 hectares of terminal surface.