Well-designed and implemented container terminal management systems can make a huge difference to productivity, as David Foxwell finds out
The steady increase in number of containers and the size of vessels able to carry them is adding pressure to ports and box terminals to increase capacity. Introducing or improving existing container terminal management systems can offer an alternative to physical expansion,increasing terminal performance and optimising resources, often on a more costeffective budget.
For one, minimising errors that inevitably occur with manual processes reduces the costs associated with those errors, and enhancing productivity while operating efficiency not only provides an improved return on investment for terminal operators, but also has the added benefit of increasing terminal capacity and potentially attracting new business.
However, speaking to Port Strategy, Harvey Bauer, marketing manager, and Michael Schwank, president, of Seattle-based Tideworks,explain that because of the many different types, sizes, and operating environments of marine terminals worldwide, there is no “one size fits all” approach to the delivery of technology solutions to terminal operators.
“The needs of a small- to medium-sized multi-purpose terminal in the Caribbean will obviously be quite different from those of a large container terminal in Long Beach or Rotterdam, for example,” says Mr Schwank. “However, there are some commonalities in terms of what operators are seeking with the implementation of terminal operating systems and related technologies. Very generally, they are looking to improve accuracy, productivity, and efficiency – all of which will add up to a positive impact on the operator’s bottom line.
“Often, for smaller terminals, getting away from manually intensive processes with the implementation of a proven and reliable terminal operating system is a huge first step; the operator may be looking to sharpen terminal inventory control, increase gate velocity, and generally provide a heightened level of customer service,” Mr Bauer and Mr Schwank explain.
“For larger terminals, the basic goals remain the same, but typically they are looking to ever higher degrees of automation to bring the corresponding incremental gains and added value to their customers. So, for example, the operator may be seeking to integrate optical character recognition technologies at the gate or the quayside to further enhance data capture speed and accuracy;or,positioning technologies, such as differential Global Positioning System or Real Time Location Systems, to automate container and terminal equipment positioning; or, perhaps radio frequency identification to tag drayage trucks and automate their identification at the gate.”
