Larry Nye, a Port Planning Engineer has argued that cargo volumes will soar in the next 10 years and that terminal operators at LA-Long Beach must automate cargo handling processes in order to have the capacity to handle the increase, according to JOC.com.
Mr Nye said that a shortage of storage capacity would be a greater issue for mega-ports than the new era of mega-ships and that terminals could instantly boost capacity by 30% if they convert existing space to automation. Mr Nye said: “System optimisation is where containerisation is headed”, adding that while mega-ships are carriers’ contribution to system optimisation, the contribution of terminals is automation.
Kalmar: Implementing Sustainable Automation
PTI previously reported that automation is becoming the logical response to terminal operations in the US, which comes amid the ever-increasing size of mega-ships berthing at its terminals.
Third-largest carrier CMA CGM, recently announced plans to cancel its deployment of the 18,000 TEU Benjamin Franklin mega-ship to the US, despite calls made to West Coast ports at the end of 2015.
Read a Technical Paper by Larry Nye on Next Generation Terminals
However, with the advent of mega-alliances, the most recent being ‘THE Alliance’, automated operations may be essential for ensuring that terminals can consistently manage the flow of containers.
The new alliance will have a total fleet of 620 ships, compared to the Ocean Alliance’s fleet of just 350, which could significantly add to the pressures of global ports
PTI is set to launch its Terminal Automation & Training Conference on June 8, 2016 in London, where the focus will be on looking at the stages of automation and implementing effective training practices.
Read more about the conference here
Watch an exclusive PTI video interview with Ottonel Popesco, CEO of Cavotec, where he argues that automation is key for handlling mega-ships:
