Digitalisation transforms port operations

Roughly 90% of the world's goods are transported by sea with over 70% percent as container cargo, carried in 226 million container boxes shipped each year on more than 50,000 merchant ships operating in the oceans. The numbers are quite staggering. So, it’s little wonder that the digitalisation of our operating ports to improve visibility, productivity and efficiencies is a major focus for the industry.

From ocean freighters and shipping terminals, through to the storage, logistics and transport operations that enable the onward movement of goods, digital transformation is underway across the port industry. But to unlock the many advantages of digitalisation – greater efficiency, productivity, speed, control and visibility – businesses at every stage of the supply chain need to digitalise their processes and to equip their teams with the right technology.

An essential element of this digital transformation is the use of reliable mobile solutions from devices to software and vehicle mounted solutions. Rugged tablets can be useful tools for each of main players in the ports: Sea Carriers can use them for cargo inspection, cargo tracking and documentation. Terminals for unloading/loading operations, embedding devices in the different machinery used to move containers, documentation, supervision of operations on the ground and oil tanker supervision. Logistics services for monitoring and supervising operations on the ground, as well as communication and documentation. Inland transport for authentication, signing off cargo and navigation. Technical Services for communication/data transfer, task status, remote support and signing off procedures.     

The application continually receives updates via the tablet, which juggles between 4G and Wi-Fi connections to ensure connectivity is maintained. Extreme conditions can also impact on the worker’s ability to view and operate the screen on the mobile device but with these rugged tablets, the user can toggle from a normal touch-screen operation to a stylus only mode; enabling work to continue in the most difficult conditions.

In addition to the Leading Hand solution, DP World has also equipped its straddle carriers, vehicles which move and stack the shipping containers, with rugged notebooks in a bespoke designed docking unit. Lastly, the DP World maintenance teams use rugged notebooks as essential tools for running diagnostics and managing maintenance tasks on vehicles at the terminal.

It’s clear that rugged mobile solutions are just one essential element of the digitalisation of port operations but it’s a tool that can be the foundation for transformation in multiple environments within the industry – from administration to logistics and maintenance and repairs.