In a key paper written by Dr Oscar Pernia, Senior Director of Product Strategy at Navis, mega-hubs, connectivity and the productivity 'quantum leap' are some of the areas discussed under what is a crucial combination for the future of port operations. Dr Pernia articulates that many of these aspects of a port, if completed effectively, will ultimately lead to a more efficient and predictable ocean supply chain. The 'Sense of Wonder' element pertains to what technology will look like at a future port, as well as its role in eleminating US$17 billion of waste.
For the port of the future, bigger vessels, broader carrier alliances, container capacity consolidation and larger hub and spoke port networks are changing costs and the way profits are generated from operations. At the same time, ports are managing increased investment along with demands for improved productivity and higher level of services.
To manage these changing costs and improve productivity will require significant investment in new technology and changes in operational mindsets and the way technology is used. Port operators of the future will be managing far more information technology than in the past, leveraging cloud based networks to connect with far more shipping partners, processing huge amounts of data to improve the planning, control and execution of their operations. The work ahead is significant and will ultimately lead to a far more efficient and predictable ocean supply chain, eliminating or drastically reducing the estimated $17 billion waste in current port and carrier business processes. In the port of the future, transshipment hubs will play a critical role. Trade routes will be based on a “hub-and spoke” network with large hubs feeding multiple smaller ports. Intermodal logistics will be a critical part of the overall system to move containers between the different modes of transportation: deep-sea, feeder, barge, rail and road. Carrier vessel networks will use advanced connected systems providing flexibility and visibility across their entire vessel and port network. Stowage will be planned using a cloud based collaboration platform…
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