Machine Vision on the Dock
Vladivostok Commercial Sea Port has become the first in Russia to deploy an “elektronny talman” system – an electronic tally solution that uses machine vision to inspect incoming containers.
A dedicated hardware complex designed as a camera-equipped portal operates directly on the dock. As a truck passes through, the machine vision system automatically scans all surfaces of the container, capturing identification numbers, seal integrity, stenciling, and any visible damage, while monitoring logistics operations and enabling integration with WMS and TOS platforms. This functionality improves inventory accuracy and reduces time losses during cargo handling. The entire software stack has been developed using Russian-made solutions.
Public Joint Stock Company Vladivostok Commercial Sea Port (VMTP), part of the FESCO Group (operating within the management perimeter of State Corporation Rosatom), serves as a strategically critical transport hub in the Russian Far East, supporting international shipments across the Asia-Pacific region. The port also plays a central role in domestic coastal shipping. VMTP stands out as Russia’s only fully universal port – its production capacity includes 15 berths capable of handling all types of general, bulk, and container cargo, as well as petroleum products, vehicles, heavy machinery, oversized, and heavy-lift cargo. Based on preliminary results for 2025, VMTP leads Russia in container throughput at just over 800,000 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units).
Smart Port
The rollout of the “elektronny talman” system marks another step in VMTP’s large-scale digital transformation. The solution extends the port’s modernization strategy built on domestic technologies. The first phase included the successful deployment of AI-based multi-object video analytics to strengthen on-site security. The new digital tool is part of the “Umny i bezopasny port” (Smart and Safe Port) initiative and is already demonstrating strong performance in industrial and perimeter security.
In September of last year, VMTP commissioned a portal-type inspection and scanning complex (IDK) – equipment that allows operators to examine container cargo without opening it, using technology similar to airport screening systems. The system is fully manufactured in Russia, and only five such installations currently exist worldwide.
The “Umny port” (Smart Port) program, introduced by FESCO in October 2025, targets full-scale digitalization and maximum automation of port operations. The initiative includes the deployment of advanced technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), 5G connectivity, artificial intelligence, and digital twins, all aimed at significantly improving terminal performance.
Core components of the program include integrating terminal operating systems (TOS) with a wide range of equipment, including ship-to-shore cranes (STS), rubber-tired gantry cranes (RTG), rail-mounted gantry cranes (RMG), and automated material handling systems (AMR). A strong focus is placed on digital twins for precise modeling and forecasting of operations, reducing downtime risks, as well as on AI-driven analysis of large datasets to optimize equipment utilization and resource management. IoT technologies and 5G connectivity play a key role in enabling real-time data collection and transmission.
Impact Through 2030
By 2030, the project is expected to reduce operating costs by 15–25%, cut fuel and energy consumption by 15–20%, and lower carbon emissions by 15–25%. It will also improve monitoring and help prevent potential incidents and equipment damage during cargo handling and vehicle movement within the port area.
A separate component of the program is a digital model of Vladivostok Port, which aggregates and analyzes data in real time from multiple sources, including systems, sensors, equipment, and operational technologies. This approach increases overall efficiency across the port complex.
In addition to machine vision, VMTP has implemented paperless document workflows with customers. Clients now have access to a personal account system for managing cargo, available both within 1C and as a web application called “Port v karmane” (Port in Your Pocket). Nearly all requests, instructions, and applications can be submitted online, opening up significant operational advantages for businesses. Today, clients from more than 50 cities across 10 countries work with VMTP remotely – and that number continues to grow.
New Standards for Port Logistics
VMTP’s experience demonstrates the real-world effectiveness of AI in logistics and port management – a development with strategic implications that sets a new benchmark for digital transformation across the industry. For businesses and end users, this translates into faster cargo processing, lower costs, and greater transparency across supply chains, helping stabilize the flow of goods. For Russia, it strengthens import substitution in critical infrastructure and marks another step toward technological sovereignty.
