The IAPH-KMI Port Forum 2026 highlighted the importance of innovation, sustainability, and international collaboration in building the smart and green ports of tomorrow.
Held on 27 July at Hotel Azur Takeshiba in Tokyo, the hybrid forum welcomed around 120 in-person participants and 40 online attendees, mainly from Japan and Korea. Co-organised by IAPH, the Korea Maritime Institute (KMI), and the Japanese Foundation for IAPH, the forum brought together stakeholders from the maritime community.
The keynote presentations addressed global port sustainability trends, including decarbonisation, cyber risks, and digital innovation, as well as the impacts of geopolitical disruptions on maritime logistics and supply chain resilience.
The thematic sessions highlighted initiatives such as the development of clean energy hubs, the application of AI and automation, blockchain-based data transparency solutions, autonomous terminal technologies, and Japan’s CONPAS terminal reservation system to improve gate efficiency and reduce congestion.
As part of the forum’s efforts to enhance international participation and collaboration, Wordly, an AI-powered live translation platform, was introduced as a new initiative to support multilingual communication among participants using their own smartphones or other personal devices. The successful trial demonstrated the potential of emerging technologies to facilitate more inclusive and effective cross-border cooperation.
The presentation materials are available for reference through the following link on the IAPH Members-only page.
