Global Port Control Tower Connectivity Is Critical for Related Supply Chains

Author photo: Steve Banker
BySteve Banker
Category:
Industry Trends

Interview with Ms. ElMarie Hugo, JDA Software, renamed Blue Yonder

At the ARC Orlando Forum 2020, ARC’S Steve Banker spoke with Ms. ElMarie Hugo, Senior Director of Industry Strategy at JDA Software, renamed Blue Yonder – a leading supplier of best-of-breed supply chain software. 

This blog focuses on the highlights and key takeaways of the interview.  The full interview can be viewed here and/or on YouTube.

Watch on YouTube

Port Inefficiencies Have Significant Ramifications

“The problems ports are facing are quite significant,” Ms. Hugo said.  “If you consider the macro economic impact it has for countries to have highly efficient ports, then it is problematic for them.  It's important for them to address those inefficiencies.  And control towers are actually quite relevant for them.  ‘Control Tower’ is not a new concept; it's 20-plus years old.  But the technology has evolved in such a way that we now have access to data through multiple architectures within our structures, in near real time or actual real time.  For ports to have visibility on what is coming to them and where their bottlenecks are is hugely important.  Resolving these translates into an improvement in the GDP of a country.  PWC completed a study from which it was concluded that a 25 percent efficiency improvement resulted in a 2 percent improvement in the GDP for a country.  It is important.  Ports are the heart and lungs of the country.  If the ports don't work, the body becomes congested,” Ms. Hugo explained.

“I'm collaborating with an ex-colleague at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam.  He is working with the Rotterdam Port authorities.  This is a hot topic.  The ports are under pressure for higher efficiency and higher productivity.  There are only so many things they can do, e.g., dredge the port, expand the size of the port, and increase the amount of material handling equipment – these are all highly capital intensive; it's not an infinite list.

“With the ultra large container ships now calling on ports, the problems are growing.  The congestion issue is becoming much more pronounced; therefore the necessity to know what bay and crane is available is key.  Then you've got 3PL transportation providers standing at the gate waiting for the containers to be released; if they have to stand there idle, they too have a problem.  This dwell time is not good in an environment where we continuously hear about shortages of drivers and trucks,” Ms. Hugo added.

“So,” Ms. Hugo continued, “you can expand the roads, dredge the port, and do other things to increase capacity.  But it's a finite list; even with increased capacity, without good visibility trucks still stand idle, fuel is wasted, and resources are tied up unnecessarily.”

Better Visibility Is Critical to Better Port Performance

Better visibility helps all parties – ports, ocean carriers, the road freight, and air freight providers.  “Visibility of where there is a deviation on the expected arrival is really important.  Being able to see this in real time and know what to do to mitigate that deviation is really key.  AI and ML have a role to play here in terms of improved predictive capabilities.  The tools learn through behavioral observation.  Over time the AI/ML tools identify patterns.  Based on which, better mitigation actions become possible,” Ms. Hugo reiterated.

When asked whether visibility improves orchestration – improving operations through more intelligent sequencing – or whether it leads to optimized moves using advanced math to drive the highest possible efficiencies, Ms. Hugo replied, “It is orchestration, but over time it becomes optimization.  But orchestration is a really good choice of words for it because with the visibility and the connectivity that you have, upstream and downstream – through all your partners in this chain of events – they can better orchestrate what is happening.”  If a ship knows the port doesn't have the capacity to receive it, it can move at a slower speed, burn less fuel, and reduce its carbon footprint.  Immediately, there's a positive impact.

With visibility, the positive effects ripple down the supply chain.  A ship is not hovering outside the port for days on end without being able to be received, trucks don’t arrive and wait, and carriers can take other loads that generate revenue.

When it comes to supply chains that involve ports, there are a lot of issues that can lead to delays.  Improperly filed or incorrect customs forms can lead to cargo being pulled off to the side at a port for days at a time.  Ms. Hugo added, “It could also be transshipments that went horribly wrong, a pirate event, a ship that ran aground, or God forbid, a terrorist attack.  Weather events are the most prevalent source of delays.  There are many events that happen; not all of these are acts of God, but none of them are predictable.  They are all unforeseen events supply chain professionals need to be prepared to mitigate.”

Ms. Hugo summed it up by saying, “Collaboration is critical.  That's the vision – global control tower connectivity.  Globally, the port authorities should aim to have a network of port authorities collaborating and orchestrating.  After all, the origin port and destination port are dependent on each other.”

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