Logistics & Transportation
Solving problems for port operations, supply chain visibility, and route and warehouse optimization.
PROBLEM
In logistics and transportation, optimization problems must be solved in real time and on scales that are too difficult for classical computing methods to handle.
SOLUTION
These problems are ideal for quantum computers which suffer less from the tradeoff between computational efficiency and solution optimality, resulting in fast and accurate solutions.
Port Operations
Ports must manage the flow of thousands of cargo containers every day, finding ways to efficiently load, unload, store, stack and transport them. Each of these processes can be broken down into optimization problems with constraints based on the limited equipment and the physical layout of the yard, but solving these problems at the required scale is an incredibly difficult computational challenge. While classical methods offer working solutions, they are usually inefficient; quantum computing promises to unlock tremendous efficiency gains and savings in operating cost.
Route Optimization
Whether for rideshare apps, postal services, or military supply dispatching, route optimization is a ubiquitous computational problem that can be improved with quantum optimization algorithms. In the near- and mid-term, hybrid optimizers that combine classical computing, AI/machine-learning, and quantum computing can enable finding better solutions to the “Traveling Salesman Problem” significantly faster. As quantum technology matures, this performance will be further boosted, especially for large-scale, complex routing applications.
Supply Chain Visibility
The last decade has seen many business organizations shift to improve their data collection and storage practices; however, it can be difficult to parse through this information and gather actionable insights. The Quantum Trifecta™ will allow businesses to optimize various aspects of their operations while observing tangible effects in real-time. This information can be subsequently fed back into their algorithms, forming a virtuous cycle that will help pinpoint pressure points in their operations and alleviate them.
Warehouse Optimization
Logistics operations at warehouses include transporting pallets between the floor and delivery vehicles (incoming and outgoing) and efficiently stacking pallets to minimize the time spent during retrieval. Generating storage plans that minimize the number of crane movements (and time) is an enormously complex optimization problem, especially when there are thousands of pallets involved. The Quantum Trifecta™ can help manage this process in real-time, allowing warehouses to support a higher throughput of inventory.
