Adani Ports expands Kaleris pact with $100m AI plan to 2031

The announcement in brief

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) said it has expanded its strategic partnership with US-based software company Kaleris, committing up to USD 100 million in two phases to accelerate automation and optimisation. The company said the investment is part of a broader USD 850 million plan for technology and decarbonisation under its 2031 ambition. The expanded agreement builds on Phase 1 deployments that were implemented across six ports. APSEZ now plans to scale advanced operating, optimisation and automation capabilities across its maritime and logistics network. The focus is on bringing more data-driven decision-making into day-to-day terminal operations. The company linked the move to rising cargo volumes and growing supply chain complexity. The partnership also adds more clarity on how APSEZ intends to use AI and related technologies in port operations.

What changes under the expanded Kaleris deal

Under the multi-year agreement, Kaleris will deploy its foundational terminal operating system along with AI-augmented container handling and optimisation solutions. APSEZ said the rollout will cover 15 APSEZ container terminals spanning nine domestic and international ports. The scale-up follows the Phase 1 deployments across six ports, which APSEZ referenced as the base for the expansion. The company framed the next phase as a shift from pilots and limited rollouts to a broader network-level implementation. The deployment is aimed at standardising operating processes across terminals and improving visibility for planners and operators. The planned systems are designed to support operational automation and optimisation rather than only reporting. APSEZ also said it is investing in AI, the Internet of Things (IoT), computer vision and advanced optimisation tools. The stated goal is to enable real-time visibility, smarter resource allocation and faster decision-making.

Productivity targets cited by APSEZ

APSEZ said the Kaleris deployment is expected to deliver measurable efficiency gains in key yard and gate operations. The company flagged up to a 20% improvement in Rubber Tyred Gantry (RTG) crane productivity. It also cited up to a 14% improvement in terminal truck productivity. These metrics matter because RTG movements and truck turnarounds are directly linked to container dwell time and overall throughput. While APSEZ did not provide a timeframe for achieving these improvements, it positioned them as outcomes expected from scaling the systems across terminals. The gains, as described, are tied to advanced planning and optimisation rather than incremental equipment additions alone. APSEZ’s statement also indicates an intent to embed AI tools into operational control loops. That approach typically requires consistent data capture and workflow standardisation, which the company is targeting through a network-wide rollout.

What Kaleris said about the expansion

Kirk Knauff, President and CEO of Kaleris, said APSEZ is “demonstrating the real impact of an AI-enabled port network at scale.” He added that expanding to all 15 terminals reflects the results already achieved and the trust behind the partnership. The comment signals that APSEZ’s Phase 1 deployment produced outcomes sufficient to justify a wider rollout, though the statement did not detail the exact Phase 1 performance numbers. Kaleris is positioned as the core software and optimisation layer supporting terminal operations and container handling workflows. The expanded deal also ties Kaleris more closely to APSEZ’s broader technology roadmap to 2031. For APSEZ, referencing a global software partner can help support a narrative around standardisation and repeatable efficiency improvements across assets. The company is effectively treating technology as a multi-year capex line item rather than a one-off upgrade.

How this fits into APSEZ’s wider technology and decarbonisation plan

APSEZ said the USD 100 million investment is part of its USD 850 million plan for technology and decarbonisation under its 2031 ambition. Alongside AI and automation, APSEZ referenced IoT, computer vision and advanced optimisation tools. The statement suggests the company is attempting to build an integrated operating layer across terminals, logistics, and associated maritime services. While the announcement is centred on terminal systems, APSEZ also referred to scaling capabilities across its wider maritime and logistics network. This is relevant because port performance is increasingly influenced by landside connectivity and logistics coordination, not only quay-side operations. APSEZ did not provide a segment-wise split of the USD 850 million plan in the statement shared. Still, the linkage to a 2031 ambition implies the investment is intended to support long-horizon capacity and service expansion.

Parallel capex plans: ports, logistics, fleet and more

Separate disclosures in the provided material indicate APSEZ is preparing for large capital expenditure across ports and allied infrastructure. One section states APSEZ is gearing up for ₹90,000 crore to ₹1 lakh crore of infrastructure investment from FY27 to FY31, aimed at expansion across container terminals, liquid cargo facilities and logistics networks. It also states the firm is set to invest ₹60,000 crore to ₹63,000 crore over the next five years in domestic port development. Additional allocations cited include about ₹9,000 crore for logistics infrastructure, ₹13,000 crore for expanding the marine fleet, and ₹8,000 crore for technology, automation and decarbonisation efforts. Another amount mentioned is ₹6,000 crore to ₹7,000 crore for international ports, with a focus on Colombo West Terminal (CWIT)-II. In an investor presentation excerpt, APSEZ also outlined a plan to spend ₹75,000 crore by FY29, with ₹45,000 crore to ₹50,000 crore for domestic ports, ₹15,000 crore to ₹20,000 crore for logistics, and ₹5,000 crore for technology and decarbonisation. APSEZ also said these plans exclude inorganic expansion within and outside India.

Capacity targets and expansion projects referenced

The material also repeats APSEZ’s ambition to scale cargo handling over the coming years. One section says APSEZ aims to handle 1 billion tonnes of cargo by 2030, up from 500 million tonnes in FY25, at a CAGR of 15%. Another section says the company aims to increase cargo handling capacity from 633 million tonnes to 1,000 million tonnes by 2030, with major brownfield expansions at Mundra, Hazira, Dhamra and Krishnapatnam. The text also notes that APSEZ currently holds a 27% share of India’s cargo handling capacity. For Vizhinjam, the material says the transshipment hub has handled over one million TEUs within nine months of launch. It also mentions Phase 2 construction at Vizhinjam, scheduled for completion by December 2028, with an estimated investment of ₹16,000 crore to expand capacity to 5.7 million TEUs from 1.6 million TEUs.

Why the AI push matters for operations

Port operators typically face a mix of volume growth, tighter vessel schedules, and more complex cargo flows, which increases the value of real-time visibility and better planning. APSEZ’s statement explicitly links its technology spending to the need for smarter resource allocation and faster decision-making. If the cited productivity gains materialise, improvements in RTG productivity and terminal truck productivity can influence berth productivity, yard congestion and landside turnaround times. That can matter for customers through faster container movement and more predictable service levels. For investors, the announcement provides specific operational metrics that the company is targeting, rather than only broad statements about digitisation. It also signals that APSEZ is moving toward standardising systems across a larger number of terminals, which can help drive consistent KPIs across assets.

Key facts at a glance

Market impact and what to watch next

The announcement adds detail to APSEZ’s ongoing capex narrative, particularly around how technology is expected to support higher throughput and operational efficiency. It also provides a clearer connection between software deployment and measurable productivity outcomes. In the near term, investors and customers are likely to track the pace of deployment across the 15 terminals and whether the company reports improvements aligned to the stated RTG and truck productivity benchmarks. Another monitorable point is how APSEZ integrates AI, IoT and computer vision into operational processes across ports and logistics networks. For the broader sector, the deal highlights how port operators are increasingly treating software and optimisation tools as core infrastructure. APSEZ has positioned the Kaleris expansion as a multi-year programme, suggesting further updates may follow as phases are executed.

Conclusion

APSEZ’s expanded partnership with Kaleris and its planned USD 100 million investment underline a push to scale AI-led terminal automation across 15 container terminals. The company has tied the move to its wider USD 850 million technology and decarbonisation plan under its 2031 ambition. Alongside large capex plans cited for ports, logistics, fleet expansion and international assets, the AI rollout signals a focus on operational execution as APSEZ targets higher capacity and cargo handling volumes. The next key milestones will be progress on the multi-year deployment and evidence of the productivity improvements APSEZ has outlined.