Ports Turn to Tech Solutions for New Levels of Efficiency
Article from MHI Solutions Magazine
In the eyes of some, the port industry once appeared reluctant to adopt sophisticated technological solutions to strengthen their operations. In fact, for years, Jonathan Daniels, CEO and port director of Port Everglades in Florida, said carriers, ports and the rest of the shipping industry seemed loath at times to “go away from paper and pencil.” However, that has shifted dramatically in recent years, and Daniels, among others, believes that today, technology is being integrated into the port field in a way that represents “a true change.”
“Technology is no longer a buzzword,” Daniels said. “It’s an actual application of a variety of actions, which allow you the opportunity to be more efficient and therefore more competitive. We are a hyper-competitive industry. And because of that, everybody’s looking for that next opportunity to stand out from their competition. So, in order for us to be competitive and cut our costs and improve efficiency, we have to be able to deploy the latest technology—backed up by the science, the analytics and the data—to meet the needs of shippers and carriers today.”
Technological Strides
Karim Jumma, vice president of product management at e2open, believes ocean shipping and ports remain behind other industries in technological innovation, but progress is evident…
