Page 54: of Maritime Logistics Professional Magazine (Sep/Oct 2018)

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Digital Port Logistics

Credit: GE sis logistics within the greater supply chain, where terminals and ports complain that a little bit more notice from liners might give them a competitive edge and move that cargo just a little faster,

GE’s Port Optimizer touches upon this aspect of terminal opera- tions – and many more.

“That’s why we are trying to get all the shipping lines and all the terminals to help us share the appropriate information, to the appropriate party, at the appropriate time, so people like the chas- sis providers can make these decisions and, not on the fy, but with visibility down the road, so it’s not happening at the last minute.

And that’s a big part of what we’re trying to get to.” Along the way, though, parties are still concerned about the security of their proprietary data.

At the Port of Los Angeles, progress has been steady, but at the same time, methodical. Most waterfront intermodal stakeholders agree that centralized access to macro-level information would be very helpful to many people. That said; it’s when you get down we can see it, so that the users can make better decisions. A lot into the detailed customer data that things get a little more diff- of this is up to the end users. They’ve asked for visibility and the cult. Chase adds, “We’re trying to utilize all those different pieces port and GE will give it to them, but what are they going to do at the same time, which is why this is not an overnight project.” with it? And that’s the next step in the game. But until they have

The port of Los Angeles is so pleased with what they’ve accom- all the data, it’s harder to say exactly. I can’t give you a defnite plished so far that they’ve extended their agreements for another number just yet, but we’ve got some pretty good estimates.” fve years, agreements worth nearly 12 million dollars. “We saw from our pilot that there are defnitely some opportunities for sig- LOOKING BACK TO PLAN AHEAD nifcant improvements in our ability to handle cargo. Obviously, As Los Angeles implements the GE software program into its if you have the right piece of equipment at the right place, at the remaining terminals, Long Beach is just getting started. As that right time, inherently that says things are going to operate more all plays out, there have been lessons learned that Long Beach smoothly than if you don’t,” said Chase. would dearly like to take advantage of. And, that’s just fne with

And, it is going considerable smoother in the port since the pilot Chris Chase.

project began. The key component, insists Chase, involves “get- For example, the two ports pride themselves in engaging in ting everybody on board and getting the data in the right place so healthy competition, but at the same time, leveraging coopera- 54 Maritime Logistics Professional September/October 2018 | |