Traditionally, terminal efficiency has been measured by monitoring productivity, but there’s another metric that deserves close attention: dock idle time.
Santos Brasil currently measures dock idle time using data collected and imputed into the Vessel Call and Berth Planning module from Container Terminal Information System), supplied by Hamburg Port Consulting, as well as using electronic spreadsheets to tabulate the data.
Marcelo Garcia D’Antona, business development director at the terminal, believes that proper measurement of dock idle time and the establishment of a systematic approach for this through KPI data collection, reporting, benchmarking and trending analysis, can significantly improve dock operations and, at the same time, achieve quantifiable reductions in overall vessel call times.
“With this objective in mind, we believe that measuring dock idle time, and identifying its root causes, can significantly improve dock operations,” he says.
Thomas Dattenberg-Doyle, chief executive of Cannizaro Productivity Services Limited maintains that dock idle time is an essential metric: “Both shipowner and terminal operator should be interested in what is happening at every minute that a vessel is on berth,” he says. “Across the entire time line from when the vessel is tied up until it leaves, every minute should be allocated to some sort of activity.”
Method counts
For its success, a terminal must have a systematic method to both measure this particular key performance indicator (KPI) and to collect the data. “Ideally, there should be an easy, real-time method for event logging, allowing for quick analysis and reaction times,” he says.
Terminals, says Mr Dattenberg-Doyle, tend to aggregate data relating to dock idle time in an electronic format, even though it is invariably a dock worker that first measures it, either on paper or within an IT-based system. Either way, dockworkers have a significant input, but that doesn’t necessarily mean their information will be entirely accurate.
To improve reporting accuracy, Mr Dattenberg-Doyle believes standard computer programs should monitor activity, which would allow gaps in operations to be identified. To work out what length of gap is acceptable, the operator needs to first sit down and think through what should be happening and when across the entire time line that a vessel is at the berth.
“Disparities would soon show up, because a computer program will often spot what a crane driver will not. It’s then up to terminal managers to start asking questions,” he says, noting that breakdowns, the moving of cranes and the removal of hatch covers, among other known incidents, are all very easy to record.
There are nevertheless challenges in accurately recording dock idle times, depending on the type of vessel involved. A very large crude carrier is comparatively simple, since once hooked up, things function automatically. Similarly, the variables governing container vessel are well known and box sizes standardised.
However, a dry bulk carrier is a much more complicated beast. Not only do vessel sizes vary considerably, but commodities being transported both interact with ambient conditions and change in composition depending on where they are sourced. So looking for idle time in a schedule is harder.
Significantly, in 2015, at Santos Brasil’s main container terminal at the Port of Santos, about 6% of dock idle time was attributed to tidal restrictions. Mr D’Antona believes that a solution is to dredge the port to eliminate tidal window restrictions on deeper draft ships.
Carrier issues
Asked whether some dock idle time is down to the shipping line, he notes that Santos Brasil’s policy is to work collaboratively with its customers to achieve quantifiable reductions in overall vessel call times. Applying financial penalties on the customer, he stresses, should only be used as a last resort.
Mr Dattenberg-Doyle agrees, noting that: “Although some dock idle time is definitely down to the shipping line, these types of problems tend to get discussed by both parties to avoid getting into an adversarial position where penalties are invoked.”
To avoid dead time on the quay, he advises shipping lines to inform terminals as far in advance as possible what exactly will be on each vessel and where it is located. Knowing what is going to have to be loaded back is also key.
“Nevertheless, some shipping lines do allow containers to be loaded very close to departure and the flow of information that that implies needs to be highly accurate if dock idle time is to be minimised,” he says.
Another terminal bug bear is priority lists, requiring some containers to be offloaded first, since a customer wants to pick them up rapidly, even though they are not the most logical boxes to be discharged first. This is an area where terminal operators and shipowners have to work together, says Mr Dattenberg-Doyle, so that all the various possibilities and costings are understood.
When Cannizaro is called in to help with identifying dock idle time, the initial approach is to observe how handling operations are actually undertaken. Only by following the process from start to finish can incidents of dock idle time be corrected.
“Once we have identified idle time, we go back and see how much is actually showing up in the records that people keep. That information isn’t necessarily that accurate.”
In terms of remedial measures, dock workers need to understand their shortcomings and then correct them, he says.
Best efforts
However, even with the best will in the world, not all dock idle time can be eradicated.
“Terminals can become ever more efficient,” says Mr Dattenberg-Doyle, “but a balance has to be struck between boosting productivity and maintaining profitability.”
In respect of using historical data to identify reasons for dock idle time, he concedes that, overall, determining the root reasons for why dock idle time occurs is an arduous task, into which numerous different variables must be factored.
“We tend to concentrate on a few recurring factors. We do keep a rigorous eye on individual and total crane idle time brought about by breakdowns, for example, and adjust the subsequent maintenance programme based on historical data.”
UCL Holding, which operates terminals at the Russian port of Tuapse, measures dock idle time mainly using its own computer program, making records after every shift and not in real time.
Tides have no impact on operations at Tuapse, although wind and rain can close the port for 15-50 days per year.
“There are other factors that we can’t fully control, too, such as the availability of cargo and supply of rail cars, while vessel clearance is also partially outside of our control. Around 50% of dock idle time is therefore under our control,” says a spokesperson for the operator.
UCL Holding adds that a lot depends on the technical state of the vessel and her gear, as well as standards of ship’s management in respect of such things as issuing accurate notices; preparing the ship’s holds correctly; and also in co-operating closely with the stevedores and port authority.
DEALING WITH MANMADE VARIATIONS
It’s not easy to create uniform efficiency to counter variations in dock idle time brought about by working practices used by different gangs or shifts.
Institutional limiting factors such as the stow of an arriving vessel, import/export mix, customs regulations and requirements imposed on the terminal by carriers all have an impact.
“As a result, we tend to compare individual crane productivity along the vessel operation, instead of comparing gang productivity per shift,” says Santos Brasil’s Marcelo Garcia D’Antona.
Monitoring gangs and shifts clearly shows differences, although there are various causes.
“When finishing a vessel, even the best gang cannot always deliver the best results if they are having to continually move from one hold to the other,” points out a spokesperson for UCL Holding.
“Similarly, idle time is increased if loading operations have to be halted or if cargo needs lashing. Gang productivity is additionally reduced if the final ton of cargo has to be placed in a different part of the hold.
“However, by studying work patterns, we are able to identify bottlenecks and identify where time is being lost. We then find ways of minimising this, increasing average productivity and boosting the degree of dock utilisation.”
Keeping detailed records is a must, allowing them to be analysed and improvements planned.
“Several years ago, when loading vessels with steel slabs, we were losing two to three hours before starting to load because of having to make stowage plans. Now, we make a preliminary stowage plan with the assistance of the cargo super before the vessel arrives, which enables us to start operations as soon as the vessel berths,” says the spokesperson.