Agile Port System - Essay Example

Agile Port System Agile Port System The increase in the flow of cargo and increase in consumer demands in the global sphere demands increased efficiency in older ports. Economic expansion and globalization stretch the limits of ports and this is a challenge for the future of intermodal transportation. Older ports like Baltimore and Philadelphia have to adopt agile port systems in their quest for expansion. Older ports with limited real estate available for expansion will have to improve or use alternative equipment and technologies, form alliances and partnerships, and change their business practices in order to compete with newer larger ports.

Older ports must change their port operations and business practices. A cost-driven and service-driven approach is a change in business practice that helps improve service delivery, while at the same time reducing operational costs. Service delivery must be exceptionally fast to improve berth performance and turnaround time, which helps ports cope with vessel and truck arrival. It is essential that they consider a cost-service ratio at the landside and waterside in the change of business practices and ensure that they preplan and access sufficient information in advance.

Functional business practices demand the ports to improve their door-to-door logistic chain (Konings, Priemus, and Nijkamp, 2015). Automation of terminals is essential to ensure equipment meets current demands. This calls for a need to improve existing equipment or purchase new and agile equipment. For example, crane structures must have the technical handling capacity to make more lifts per hour, and adapt to any functional requirements that hasten port processes (Schwartz, 2012). Instead of a single hoist crane, ports must adopt a double hoist crane that does twice the work at the same time.

In addition, older ports require overhead bridges to save on the already limited space. Older posts have to get into alliances and partnerships to coordinate their activities and decrease unnecessary competition. These alliances can lead to the creation of satellite terminals instead of the presence of several redundant old ports. This can help reduce the congestion of containers at deep-sea ports and free up space for high-cost facilities in such locations. Through alliances, there can be a better exchange of information, which reduces dwell time and improves movement (Konings, Priemus, and Nijkamp, 2015).

The exchange of valuable information helps in security checks and value-added logistics, and this is only achievable through partnerships for the common good of making profits. In relation to technology, fast and real-time data processing, and sharing is essential for the expansion of infrastructure and superstructure. This is essential to facilitate the tracking and tracing of shipments. For example, the Electronic Data Interchange information system can help in recording and sharing information across ports (Konings, Priemus, and Nijkamp, 2015).

Efficient coordination between terminals and inland transportation operations is applicable if older ports adopt modern web applications and systems to facilitate the dynamics of terminal handling operations. In addition, older ports should improve gate operations technology to improve processing time in gate lanes. The construction of dedicated lanes is also essential to save time and improve functionality. In conclusion, several areas mentioned above require improvement to adopt an agile port system.

Modernization of equipment, an adaptation of technology, alliances, and partnerships, and change in business practices are all necessary requirements for older ports with limited real estate available for expansion to improve flexible handling capacity and sufficient storage capacity. Despite the costs, the need to improve productivity and efficiency is indispensable to maintain customers and functionality in operations. References Konings, R., Priemus, H., and Nijkamp, P. (2015). Future of Intermodal Freight Transport: Operations, Design, and Policy.