INGENIEUR
On the other hand , apart from hinterland size , productivity gains have more than ever become a matter of terminal management skills ( software and know-how ) and not just pure hardware 10 .
In concert with ship to shore cargo operations , equal importance is given to the movement of containers entering and leaving the port . This is also referred to as port drayage 11 , where containers are picked up from the port to be sent to the final destinations by external trucks and vice versa for export containers . The efficiency of port drayage operations impacts the port ’ s own productivity and on a bigger scale the overall supply chain efficiency ; goods to reach their final destinations in a timely manner . The efficiency of the way this operation is managed is vital to avoid any congestion in the port and to avoid any container from missing the ship .
Another incentive to ensure that port drayage is optimised is to reduce emissions from external trucks when they are in the port area . Long idle times will increase emission of particulate matter from these trucks , contributing to the total emissions of the port .
Terminal Operating System
Many container ports today depend on systems that are referred to as “ Terminal Operating System ” ( TOS ) in the management of the flow of activities within the terminal . It may be difficult , if not impossible , for any port , especially large container ports , to conduct day to day operations without the use of technology and systems ; just like our computers will not be able to function without the core “ operating system ”. TOS is usually developed to suit the individual port , taking into consideration the port ’ s size and layout .
An appropriate definition and the importance of TOS is described as 12 : “ The terminal operating system ( TOS ) is the primary instrument of recordkeeping , planning , control , and monitoring for the modern marine terminal . The TOS serves , and is served by , labour , planners , supervisors , managers , liners , truckers , railroads , visitors , regulators , and analysts . The selection of a TOS will have profound impacts on both the tactical performance and strategic viability of the terminal , its customers , and its operator .”
Marine Operation
While one part of a terminal operation is focused on managing the container flow , another important part of port operation is managing the arrival and departure of ships at the port . Marine operation of a port involves the bringing of a ship upon her arrival from the anchorage point to the berth and securing the ship at the berth , and the reverse for the ship ’ s departure . This operation takes place with a combination of tugboats and pilots to assist the ship to safely sail to the allocated berth . The pilots , with indepth local knowledge , will usually be on board the ship working on the ship ’ s bridge , assisting her to manoeuvre into the port . Once at the berth , the mooring gang will securely fasten the ship before cargo operation starts .
An efficient marine operation requires the pilots and tugs to be ready to receive an arriving ship at anchorage at the agreed time , safely navigate the ship into the port , securing her at the allocated berth and taking her out of the port after cargo work has been completed ; ideally all done within the pre-planned time for the port of call .
Port Performance Indicators
Port operations are driven and measured by their efficiency and productivity . Numerous performance measures have been established not only to measure ports ’ performance but also to motivate ports to improve their productivity and competitiveness . UNCTAD 13 pioneered the use of port performance measures to improve port performance in 1976 . Today , port performance measures have advanced considerably and are often customised for an individual port or group of ports .
Generally port performance indicators are used to measure vessel and cargo handling productivities . The main productivity measures centre on a vessel ’ s overall time in port and also cargo dwell time in a port . This involves the availability of berths , number of cranes deployed for cargo handling , speed of crane operation , manpower , storage yard capacity and turnaround time . Typical port productivity measures 14 are provided in Table 1 .
16 VOL 83 JULY-SEPTEMBER 2020