Ports and terminals across the globe are striving to meet the increasing demands for process excellence and operational efficiency. To meet the high standards that are currently being set in other industries, automation has become the operational ‘promised land’ for terminals focusing on:
- Predictable operations in well organised terminals
- Rich and accurate information for real business intelligence (BI)
- Sustainable, safe and environmentally friendly operations
- Users focused on process monitoring and performance
From the beginning, our industry has worked hard to ensure that the container terminal can run as a system. Automation technologies and processes are providing new ways of getting us there, but the challenges presented from incorporating these new technologies are slowing the process.
As with the development and implementation of any new technology or process, automation of container terminal operations is presenting a huge learning curve. This article will address some of the questions that are developing around automation and the development of people including:
- Is the organisation of a terminal control centre aligned to address the challenges presented by the automation of operations?
- Are the tools and user interfaces providing the proper functions and engagement?
- Do providers and terminals have the proper training methods and practices in place to promote this efficiency focused culture?
- Have the required user qualifications been determined that will support the current pressure on productivity and cost?
Control centres
With the increasing pressure on running high performing and safe operations, the control centre of a terminal is of vital importance in an automated environment. It is an integral catalyst to a terminal’s operational efficiency, visibility and connectivity; holistically combining…
