This initiative is funded by the InnoTecHH Fund, managed by the Office for IT and Digitalisation in the Senate Chancellery.
"Thanks to AI, my colleagues now have an innovative tool at their disposal that significantly improves their own safety and that of the port," said Olaf Hagenloch, Deputy Head of the Hamburg Waterways Police. In 2023, the port handled approximately 7.7 million container units, but not all dangerous goods were properly classified and declared, posing significant risks.
Previously, container inspections were conducted manually and randomly. Now, AI-based software uses algorithms to identify containers for inspection and quickly detect dangerous, undeclared goods.
The InnoTecHH Fund supports the effective use of this AI tool in the port, assisting Hamburg authorities in developing and testing AI and other new technologies. The local government is integrating AI to streamline and expedite procedures, with AI also making significant inroads into the economy, as seen in the rise of tech start-ups in the city.