AI-Powered Yard Management for Global Logistics Operations
AI-Powered Yard Management for Global Logistics Operations
- 95%Placement & tracking accuracy
- 60%Faster search & retrieval
- 35–40%Higher operational productivity
Project Overview
Savvycom built an AI-powered yard management system for a global logistics provider whose yards handle 400 to 500 container movements a day. Over nine months, AI cameras, object tracking and a live 2D yard map replaced manual records. Placement and tracking accuracy reached 95%, search and retrieval time fell 60%, and productivity rose 35% to 40%.
As volumes grew across sites, the team needed to know where every container was without walking the yard or checking paper records. The brief set four goals:
- Real-time visibility of container positions and status.
- No more manual, error-prone yard records.
- Automatic tracking of container movements across the yard.
- Smoother yard operations and shorter container dwell time.
About The Client
The client is a global logistics provider that runs large container yards in Vietnam and other markets. Each yard handles 400 to 500 container movements a day and stores over 500 containers at once.
The engagement was project-based and ran for nine months, starting in March 2024. The client is not named at its request.
Challenges
The yard had four connected problems.
- Limited real-time visibility: staff found it hard to locate containers, which delayed yard operations.
- No specialized yard management system: manual records led to inconsistencies and operational errors.
- Untracked internal movements: moves inside the yard were not recorded, so containers were misplaced and traceability was lost.
- High operational load: large daily volumes created bottlenecks and long handling cycles.
The first three were visibility problems. The fourth made each of them more expensive, because every misplaced container slowed the next move. At 400 to 500 movements a day, small gaps in the record add up quickly.
Solutions
Savvycom designed and built an AI-powered yard management system that combines cameras, computer vision and a digital map of the yard. Staff search for and verify containers from dashboards instead of paper records.
- Camera recognition at entry and exit: AI cameras read container IDs, trailer IDs and truck license plates, replacing manual data entry at the gate.
- Real-time container tracking: object detection and tracking follow container movements across the yard.
- 2D digital yard map: the exact position and status of each container is shown in real time.
- Digital move orders validated by AI: the system checks each container's placement against what the cameras detect.
- Operational dashboards: instant container search, dwell time monitoring and operational insights for the yard.
The record starts correctly at the gate
Identity is captured automatically at entry and exit, which is where many yard records start. A record that begins correctly is far easier to keep correct.
Internal moves are recorded
Moves inside the yard were previously invisible. They now appear on the 2D map as they happen.
Placement is checked at the time of the move
If a container is not where the move order says, the mismatch shows up during the move, not days later while someone searches for it. Each of these choices removes a place where a manual record could drift from what is actually in the yard. Together they support the 95% accuracy figure.
Results
The system reached 95% accuracy in container placement and movement tracking. Container search and retrieval time fell by 60%, and overall operational productivity rose by 35% to 40%. Manual errors and misplacement also fell, and moves inside the yard are now recorded, which restored the traceability the client had lost.
These figures describe this client's yards, volumes and camera setup, measured against a manual process. Other yards should read them as a reference point, not a forecast. The project is part of Savvycom's work in smart logistics solutions.
Technical Overview
AI and computer vision: YOLOv8 (detection), PaddleOCR (reading container IDs and plates), DeepSORT (tracking)
Backend and services: Python, .NET
Data and storage: PostgreSQL, MinIO
Streaming and monitoring: Kafka, Prometheus
Integration: RESTful APIs
Cloud platform: Microsoft Azure
Frequently asked questions
What is a yard management system?
A yard management system tracks the location and status of containers, trailers and vehicles inside a logistics yard. It also supports moves between the gate, storage and dock. In this project, AI cameras and a live digital map replaced manual records, so staff could see every container without walking the yard.
How does AI track containers in a yard?
Cameras at the entry and exit points read container IDs, trailer IDs and license plates. Object detection and tracking then follow each container across the yard, and a 2D map shows its position and status in real time. Move orders are checked against camera detections, so a mismatch shows up during the move.
How long does it take to build an AI yard management system?
This project took nine months, starting in March 2024, for a client with several high-volume yards. The build combined computer vision models, a streaming pipeline, storage and dashboards. Timelines elsewhere depend on the number of sites, camera coverage, yard layout and how many existing systems must connect to the new platform.
How did the system cut container search time by 60%?
Staff no longer search paper records or walk the yard to find a container. A live 2D map shows each container's position, and dashboards return any container instantly. Because internal moves are tracked automatically, the location on screen matches the yard. The 60% figure is measured against this client's previous manual process.
Have a similar challenge?
Tell us about your project. We will share how we approached comparable cases and what results to expect.
Talk to our ExpertsNot ready to talk yet? See our smart logistics solutions →
