The container shipping industry is at a tipping point. In the coming two years, the demand for innovation is expected to be higher than in the last 20 years. Terminal automation will be a driver on that journey, but automation implementation is complex. Terminal operators are aiming for simplicity and consistency as the terminal evolves to be a ‘System of Systems’. There are also limitations on what automation can achieve in terms of efficiency and business continuity due to the lack of seamless integration between equipment, systems and people, and from the limited and/or sub-optimal use of data for the right level of visibility, control and proactivity in managing operations.
On the bright side, this industry has already made significant progress towards the “automation promised land” with the use of the following technologies and processes:
• Equipment Automation: consolidated, automated technology at quay cranes, horizontal transportation, and yard/intermodal cranes is improving safety and sustainability, while generating huge amounts of data for enhanced performance and maintenance
• Process Automation: technologies such as PDS, RFID, and OCR are already an integral part of user interaction at the control centre, complementing other software products like the TOS and ECS that provide traceability, control, and visibility
• Automated Decision Making: the potential of terminal optimisation has yet to be fully realised, but clearly it will enable better decisions by analysing data across different operational areas…
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