• Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Supplier Directory
  • SCB YouTube
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Logout
  • My Profile
  • LOGISTICS
    • Air Cargo
    • All Logistics
    • Express/Small Shipments
    • Facility Location Planning
    • Freight Forwarding/Customs Brokerage
    • Global Gateways
    • Global Logistics
    • Last Mile Delivery
    • Logistics Outsourcing
    • LTL/Truckload Services
    • Ocean Transportation
    • Rail & Intermodal
    • Reverse Logistics
    • Service Parts Management
    • Transportation & Distribution
  • TECHNOLOGY
    • All Technology
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Cloud & On-Demand Systems
    • Data Management (Big Data/IoT/Blockchain)
    • ERP & Enterprise Systems
    • Forecasting & Demand Planning
    • Global Trade Management
    • Inventory Planning/ Optimization
    • Product Lifecycle Management
    • Sales & Operations Planning
    • SC Finance & Revenue Management
    • SC Planning & Optimization
    • Sourcing/Procurement/SRM
    • Supply Chain Visibility
    • Transportation Management
  • GENERAL SCM
    • Business Strategy Alignment
    • Education & Professional Development
    • Global Supply Chain Management
    • Global Trade & Economics
    • HR & Labor Management
    • Quality & Metrics
    • Regulation & Compliance
    • SC Security & Risk Mgmt
    • Supply Chains in Crisis
    • Sustainability & Corporate Social Responsibility
  • WAREHOUSING
    • All Warehouse Services
    • Conveyors & Sortation
    • Lift Trucks & AGVs
    • Order Fulfillment
    • Packaging
    • RFID, Barcode, Mobility & Voice
    • Robotics
    • Warehouse Management Systems
  • INDUSTRIES
    • Aerospace & Defense
    • Apparel
    • Automotive
    • Chemicals & Energy
    • Consumer Packaged Goods
    • E-Commerce/Omni-Channel
    • Food & Beverage
    • Healthcare
    • High-Tech/Electronics
    • Industrial Manufacturing
    • Pharmaceutical/Biotech
    • Retail
  • THINK TANK
  • WEBINARS
    • On-Demand Webinars
    • Upcoming Webinars
    • Webinar Library
  • PODCASTS
  • VIDEOS
  • WHITEPAPERS
Home » Blogs » Think Tank » Could Quantum Computing Solve the Supply Chain Crisis?

Think Tank
Think Tank RSS FeedRSS

Could Quantum Computing Solve the Supply Chain Crisis?

data
Network cables in a data center. Photo: Getty Images.
April 12, 2022
Yuval Boger, SCB Contributor

Maritime shipping is big business. More than 10 billion tons of cargo are carried over the waves every year. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) estimates that maritime shipping accounts for about 90% of the goods ferried around the world, and the tonnage shipped is expected to triple by the year 2050.

Maritime shipping is also a polluting business. OECD estimates that today, shipping represents 2.6% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Shippers are under increasing pressure to curb climate-warming emissions.

Lastly, maritime shipping is a complex business. Shippers try to balance quality of service, based on shipping speed and accuracy of arrival time, with cost, energy consumption and risk. Shippers can select the shortest route, but they can also select other options based on their estimation of weather, waves and wind, water temperature and other sea conditions. They can use more fuel to travel faster, or decide to go slower and save money in certain portions of their trips.

Geopolitical events are also a factor. In 2012, for instance, many ships avoided traveling close to Somalia because of the risk imposed by pirates. Wait times at busy ports and waterways such as Singapore and the Panama Canal might also vary. Labor disputes may slow down the loading and unloading of cargo. The Suez Canal was blocked in 2021, causing major congestion. And if this sounds complex for a single vessel, imagine how it is for a fleet of ships that travels around the globe.

A cargo ship takes 15-30 days to cross the Pacific Ocean and about 10-20 days to cross the Atlantic. A lot can change during this time. Weather models might be based on historical averages, but it's difficult to forecast the weather four weeks into the future.

Because of these factors, the scheduling of routes and decisions on which cargo will go onto which ship is a herculean task. It takes supercomputers many hours to run sophisticated algorithms that try to balance all these variables.

But what happens when weather, geopolitical or other conditions change? How often can a shipping company recalculate part or all of its schedule?

Dealing with an ocean of data, complex models and rapidly changing conditions is where quantum computers can provide assistance. Because of its ability to run numerous options in parallel, a quantum computer could theoretically take a few seconds to perform what a classical computer completes in many hours.

Many researchers have begun working on algorithms for quantum computers to optimize maritime voyages. Quantum computers require software programs that are written in a completely different way than those that run on classical computers.

Companies such as ExxonMobil are excited by the potential of quantum computing, envisioning huge returns driven by reduction in operating costs, while at the same time gaining opportunities for service improvements and carbon footprint reductions.

We see this happening in two steps: first speed, then performance.

Initially, quantum computers were capable of achieve good results, but do it much faster. Think of playing speed chess with a grandmaster: If you allocate five minutes to each move, play would be nearly perfect, but even a five-second move is pretty good. Armed with this capability, companies can make on-the-fly adjustments when conditions change.

As quantum computers become even stronger, they’ll generate superior schedules and routes, delivering even greater benefits.

To reach this goal, two things are required: hardware and software.

Quantum computing hardware is progressing rapidly, but the capabilities of today’s machines — often measured by “quantum volume” or approximated by count of their qubits (quantum bits) — still leave a lot of room for improvement.

As quantum computers become larger, software becomes a critical issue. Programming a quantum computer today is a highly specialized task, and as computers grow, the current methods don’t scale. It’s like trying to manually build a high-end CPU using discrete AND, OR and NOT gates. Fortunately, new quantum software development platforms are emerging, paving the way for creating scalable quantum software with relative ease.

The payoff for those who crack the quantum shipping code is enormous. That’s why, in spite of the current limitations of quantum computers, companies are hiring people who are proficient in quantum programming, investing in software development platforms, and building both intellectual property and internal competencies. The benefits will be massive: for those companies, for consumers, and for the planet.

Yuval Boger is chief marketing officer at Classiq Technologies.

Logistics Technology Ocean Transportation Data Management (Big Data/IoT/Blockchain) Artificial Intelligence

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED VIDEOS

Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter!

Timely, incisive articles delivered directly to your inbox.

Popular Stories

  • DOCUMENTS BEARING THE INSIGNIA OF US CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION LIE ON A TABLE

    New CBP Regs Call for Greater Diligence by Brokers in Reporting Security Breaches

    Freight Forwarding/Customs Brokerage
  • A WORKER IN A WAREHOUSE, SUPERIMPOSED WITH GRAPHICS SHOWING SUPPLY NETWORK

    Enabling Intelligent Visibility With Supply Chain Analytics

    Data Management (Big Data/IoT/Blockchain)
  • GSCMS-Promo.png

    Watch: Introducing the Global Supply Chain Marketing Summit

    Education & Professional Development
  • A HAND TURNS A LARGE, LIGHTED DIAL WITH THE WORD RISK ON IT iStock-NicoElNino-1364371014.jpg

    Measuring KPIs and KRIs for Comprehensive Supplier Performance Management

    Technology
  • DEEPLY CRACKED EARTH UNDER A BLUE CLOUDY SKY

    Why Maritime Supply Chains Must Adapt to Sustainability Regulations

    Ocean Transportation

Digital Edition

Scb nov 2022 sm

2022 Supply Chain Innovator of the Year

VIEW THE LATEST ISSUE

Case Studies

  • New Revenue for Cloud-Based TMS that Embeds Orderful’s Modern EDI Platform

  • Convenience Store Client Maximizes Profit and Improves Customer Service

  • A Digitally Native Footwear Brand Finds Rapid Fulfillment

  • Expanding Apparel Brand Scales Seamlessly with E-Commerce Technology

  • How a Global LSP Scaled its Security Program and Won More Business

Visit Our Sponsors

Orderful Yang Ming Alithya
Barcoding Blue Yonder BNSF Logistics
CoEnterprise Data Capture Deposco
E2open GAINSystems Generix
Geodis GEP GreyOrange
Here Honeywell Intelligrated IFM
Infor Inmar Keelvar
Kinaxis Korber Lean Solutions Group 2H
Liberty SBF Locus Robotics Logility
LogistiVIEW Lucas Systems MCA Connect
MPO Nvidia Old Dominion
OpenText ORTEC Overhaul
Parsyl PMMI QIMA
Redwood Logistics Ryder E-commerce by Whiplash Saddle Creek Logistics
Schneider Dedicated Setlog Holding AG Ship4WD
Shipwell Tecsys TGW Systems
Thomson Reuters Tive Trailer Bridge
Vecna Robotics Verity
Verusen
  • More From SCB
    • Featured Content
    • Video Library
    • Think Tank Blog
    • SupplyChainBrain Podcast
    • Whitepapers
    • On-Demand Webinars
    • Upcoming Webinars
  • Digital Offerings
    • Digital Issue
    • Subscribe
    • Manage Your Subscription
    • Newsletters
  • Resources
    • Events Calendar
    • SCB's Great Supply Chain Partners
    • Supplier Directory
    • Case Study Showcase
    • Supply Chain Innovation Awards
    • 100 Great Partners Form
  • SCB Corporate
    • Advertise on SCB.COM
    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact Us
    • Data Sharing Opt-Out

All content copyright ©2023 Keller International Publishing Corp All rights reserved. No reproduction, transmission or display is permitted without the written permissions of Keller International Publishing Corp

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing