In the latest installment of an exclusive series looking at the Port of Rotterdam, Port Technology has explored its journey towards data optimization and how its port management system can improve operations at all levels.
The Port of Rotterdam, as shown in parts 1, 2, 3 and 4 of this series, has a history of innovation which has seen it pioneer new technologies, all in the name of boosting trade.
This saw it strike an historic partnership in January 2018 with IBM to transform its port operations using the internet of things (IoT), AI and Cloud technologies.
In Part 5 we see an interview with Ben van Scherpernzeel, Chairman of the International Taskforce for Port Call Optimization, who told Port Technology how much progress the Taskforce has made in achieving standards in port optimization.
As well as the Port of Rotterdam, other members of the Taskforce are the ports of Algeciras, Busan, Gothenburg, Houston, Singapore and Ningbo Zhoushan, as well as Maersk, CMA CGM, MSC and Shell.
The journey towards port optimization, according to van Scherpenzeel, applies to every port and every trade, including container shipping, tankers and bulk, and the Taskforce is designed to cater for all data and operational needs.
Vincent Campfrens, Port of Rotterdam, discusses digital ports in a Port Technology technical paper
Data optimization is one of part of Rotterdam’s operations, with a significant factor being its PortMaster Port Management System, which can improve the sharing of information within the port.
Speaking exclusively to Port Technology, Jan Gardeitchik, its Business Lead for Digital Business Solutions, emphasizes how PortMaster can make port operations safer and more efficient.
This is particularly true in shift turnover and the process of handling information from one set of personnel to another, which Gardeitchik said has both security and environmental benefits as well.
In a recent white paper, Gardeitchik spoke about how digital technology can improve port operations and in part 2 of this Rotterdam series, he explained the three ways towards port digitization.
PortMaster is based on big data and AI technology, and the Port says it provides more accurate information than is currently available.
It combines and integrates all these capabilities into a single port management system. In the case of PortMaster, it offers various modules for planning, monitoring and port administration that helps increase performance at all levels.
As technology develops, and the global supply chain becomes increasingly digital, there is a necessity for ports to become a “digital node”… @PortOfRotterdam #PTIDaily #Exclusive #Digitizationhttps://t.co/NWoQlwYuYN
— Port Technology (PTI) (@PortTechnology) February 11, 2019
In practice, this means it tracks all vessels which are headed toward the port and efficiently minimizes the delays.
Furthermore, it monitors incidents on a comprehensive action timeline, which gives the port the ability to effectively evaluate incidents and subsequently improve processes.
Rotterdam’s appetite for enterprise and technological innovation, as this series has shown, continues to bring together the biggest marine and logistics stakeholders, and in doing so reaches the highest standard of port and trade operations.