Therefore, we decided to conduct research and development on strengthening port and airport functions and other activities. Currently, we are promoting institution-wide comprehensive research and development on subthemes associated with international competitiveness including an internationally strategic port policy, Haneda Airport improvement, and export capacity of infrastructure.

The themes of this research address the development of specific technologies associated with international competitiveness including automated cargo works, construction information modeling (CIM), and export capacity of infrastructure. Regarding development of technologies which efficiently and effectively implement the following matters, the themes of other studies (1A, 2B, and 2C) address: improvement of largescale facilities, improvement of the quake resistance of facilities, maintenance and management after facility construction, and improvement of existing facilities.

We created models of Minami Honmoku Pier MC1-4 of Yokohama Port for the study. In MC1-4, we will quantitatively evaluate the effects of off-dock loading/unloading as well as the effects of efficient operations on reducing environmental burden and preventing congestion in front of gates through numerical simulation. Then, we will use the evaluation results to establish strategies to effectively and comprehensively utilize container terminals.
Regarding the conventional operation methods and cargohandling machinery, we will suggest and apply a system to improve terminal productivity. 

We will establish cargo-handling facilities, operation systems, and design and planning methods which allow streamlining of container terminals. 

As part of CIM utilization, we will use construction-control data from a multi-beam sonar to establish a construction inspection method. With this method, we aim to save labor and achieve international standardization of construction-control inspection. By using CIM, we also aim to establish unmanned marine construction, in which Japan is lagging behind.

We created numerical models of Minami Honmoku Pier MC1-4 of Yokohama Port for the study. In MC1-4, we quantified the numbers of waiting vehicles in front of gates for different hypothetical conditions regarding gates' conditions, configuration, and handling capacities through a numerical simulation using AutoMod.

In studies of overseas cases, we quantitatively analyzed the costs of maintenance, fuel, IT investment, depreciation, and others in a scenario that assumed switching a container terminal's cargo handling from the conventional system to an automated system. Then, we determined the effects of the automation on terminal areas, overall costs, and benefits.

For introduction of multi-beam sonars, the following need to be investigated: data accuracy which satisfies output-test standards, establishment of operation methods, appending information to the output-test standards, and coordination with Japan Coast Guard (JCG). We provided administrative support for such requirements.