£1m project to revolutionise AI-powered logistics in UK ports and warehouses

AI and cyber security experts from the University of Essex are part of a £1m project aiming to deliver an industry-first artificial intelligence (AI) safety and efficiency solution for UK ports and warehouses of all sizes will involve.

The project is being led by RoboK, a University of Cambridge AI spinout, and backed by funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) with project partners also including Freeport East and Essex-based fulfilment specialist The Finishing Line.

Hao Zheng, Founder & CEO of RoboK, said: "PALLETS aligns perfectly with RoboK's vision to create safer and more efficient industrial workplaces. We are honoured to collaborate with key industry partners on a project of such strategic importance to the UK economy."

Director of the University's Institute for Analytics and Data Science, Professor Haris Mouratidis, said: "This is an exciting project as Essex has strong expertise in artificial intelligence and cyber security. The project allows us to use that expertise to contribute to the development of novel technological solutions which will deliver automation and efficiencies for complex environments, such as industrial workplaces, without compromising on safety, security and privacy."

Holly Leonard, Innovation Partnerships Manager at the University of Essex, said: "The University is proud to be collaborating with partners to deliver PALLETS, which will fast track AI solutions into the logistics sector."

Steve Beel, CEO of Freeport East, added: "Freeport East is delighted to be involved in PALLETS. This demonstrates our role acting as a convenor, making linkages to progress innovative applications and technologies in the ports and logistics sector."

PALLETS (which stands for Proactive AI-powered Solutions for Logistics Efficiency, Transparency and Safety), led by Robok, is the result of a recent drive by UKRI to accelerate the adoption of trustworthy and responsible AI and machine learning technologies. PALLETS, one of 21 projects to successfully secure funding from phase two of UKRI's 'Accelerating trustworthy AI' opportunity, aims to lower AI adoption barriers for the transport and logistics industries while improving transparency and security. Robok's platform integrates AI with existing CCTV systems, transforming video monitoring into a proactive tool for real-time hazard detection and operational improvements, setting new standards in safety and efficiency across UK logistics hubs.

Alongside the University of Essex, Freeport East and The Finishing Line, the project also brings together unique expertise from other key partners: Astron Fire & Security, the Port of Dover, and The Bristol Port Company. This diverse collaboration offers the combined strengths of AI innovation, security infrastructure, port operations, academic research, and logistics expertise. Together, the consortium seeks to tackle significant industry challenges including hazard detection and operational bottlenecks in a secure and trusted manner. The project concludes at the end of March 2025 and is poised to set new benchmarks in AI-driven safety and efficiency for the UK's logistics and transport sectors.

Mark Burton, Head of IT at the Port of Dover, said: "We're really pleased with the progress being made in our work with RoboK on the PALLETS initiative. The early results are very positive, and we've gained some helpful insights into how computer vision might support our operational goals moving forward and also sparked new ideas about how we can apply this technology across different areas of our business."