Technical Papers

Increasingly, participants in supply chains are digitising their operations and looking to new technologies for the future of continuous optimisation. With so many different components in motion within the supply chain, real-time data sharing is integral for ports to maintain big-picture vision while keeping an eye on day-to-day movements to identify where problems are occurring.

In 2020, INFORM’s Dr. Eva Savelsberg sat down for an interview with Matthew Wittemeier to share her perspective on global trends, technology, society, and environmental issues that were pushing and pulling the global supply chain. At the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the trends discussed were accurate. In INFORM’s latest article, Eva and Matthew have once again sat down for an in-depth discussion of the state of the industry.

Industrial automation and control systems have a direct effect on the physical world, while cybersecurity incidents can lead to financial, health, safety, and environmental impacts. Potential threat scenarios range from data security breaches and ransomware attacks to the theft of goods and even shutting down the operations of the entire port.

Our supply chain is increasingly adopting modern technologies, connected devices, and the datarich, highly actionable business insights they enable. Even the largest and most challenging environments need the flexibility of wireless connectivity to connect those devices and leverage their data.

Transportation is one of the world's largest contributors to global emissions, hence climate change. Since the introduction of the container, global trade has taken unprecedented growth, fostered by ever decreasing costs. At the tip of our fingers, the global shopping window is exposing itself to the global consumer.

Decarbonising our operations is a priority at APM Terminals and to succeed in that, we must overcome some of the main roadblocks for our industry, with fragmentation being one of the most challenging. In decarbonisation, speed and scale are not just the name of the game (and that of a great book by John Doerr), they're imperatives in the battle to protect our planet.

Identifying and weeding out waste in your supply chain is not only paramount for sustainability but also for bolstering your bottom line. At its core, a sustainable supply chain is centred around achieving greater results with less resource usage. With that goal in mind, optimising your operations is a necessity.

Our net-zero targets have been established and are a crucial part of our overall manifesto. These targets encompass both net-zero goals and diversity and inclusion (DNI) targets. Implementing these targets presents certain challenges, particularly in the area of fleet and fleet management. Port operators, being large fleet operators themselves, are well aware of this challenge.

On 7 July 2023, International Maritime Organization (IMO) Member States meeting in the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) adopted the "2023 IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships" (2023 IMO GHG Strategy), with enhanced targets to tackle harmful emissions. The 2023 IMO GHG Strategy represents the continuation of work by IMO as the appropriate international body to address greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from international shipping.

As an established family business with over 90 years of experience, it is in our DNA to promote innovation internally. Our company vision gives us the goal to be technical frontrunners and market leaders in our core industries and areas.

We have been involved in port master planning for many years, including design and asset management for Ro-Ro, cruise and container terminals, as well as across the wider mixed economy of port operations. Our ports and maritime team have been working with owners and operators worldwide to accommodate larger vessels, upgrade dockside technology and enhance operational efficiency.

BOXBAY allows for direct access to containers without reshuffling and uses a much smaller footprint than conventional stacking yards. It works like a library - except each book can weigh 40 tonnes.