Tag: Port efficiency

Is truck congestion at your port driving everyone crazy?

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For the port terminal focused on improving its competitiveness with shippers, automating vehicle appointments also offers a marketing opportunity.

Addressing this problem can become a marketing tool for the growing and ambitious port.

The transportation industry has been watching with interest, the port congestion situation along the USA’s west coast in recent months. Los Angeles and Long Beach terminal operators have been plagued with delays, causing immense frustration to their shipping customers.

According to a survey that trade magazine Journal of Commerce (JOC) released last month, 65% of 138 shippers they interviewed were considering permanently diverting cargo to ports outside the west coast area because of the delays.

Causes of the congestion are complex and interlinked, with the JOC identifying 12 major causes including cargo volume increases and labor relations issues. A significant component has also been truck queues at gates.

A survey conducted at west coast terminals showed that in October 2014 over a third of truck turns (queuing, delivering and leaving) were over two hours, double the accepted maximum for efficient delivery of cargo.

Like any infrastructure, port terminals are built to handle a level of peak congestion. Most of the time they can cope easily with volume, but at the peak things get challenging, including managing truck traffic. According to industry reports, congestion starts to emerge when a port is operating at 80% of capacity.

Truck congestion is a lever most ports can pull to reduce pressure on their infrastructure during peak times. Automation can help allocate truck visits more efficiently, improving carrier experience and also reducing local impacts like excessive noise or carbon emissions.

For the port terminal focused on improving its competitiveness with shippers, automating vehicle appointments also offers a marketing opportunity. Freight transport providers are increasingly focused on gaining market share not by cutting prices, but by delivering more value to their customers for the same cost. Ports that can reach down the supply chain and help make freight flow more efficiently between transport modes offer a real value proposition to shippers.

Read more about how your terminal can manage the flow of vehicles through your gate operations in our Vehicle Booking System fact sheet.

“Jade leads multicargo market”: World Cargo News

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World Cargo News (Nov 2014) declares Jade Master Terminal the emerging market leader for multi-cargo terminals after a record quarter.

It’s no secret that we want Master Terminal to be the world’s number one mixed-cargo terminal operating system. So we’re delighted that late last year, readers of World Cargo News saw an article headed ‘Jade leads multi cargo market’.

This is the strongest signal yet that we’re closing in on our goal, after a very strong third quarter of 2014.

“Jade Logistics  is emerging as the TOS market leader for multi-cargo terminal applications. Jade secured contracts for 19 new terminals across the Middle East, Europe and Africa in Q3 alone, a very significant number of new terminal projects.”

But it’s not just one good quarter that earned the attention of World Cargo News. Our track record in the Americas shows why so many businesses are turning to Master Terminal.

“Jade is also enjoying a considerable run of success in North America, where it has completed the rollout of Master Terminal at five sites for Diversified Port Holdings (DPH) and won new contracts with Grupo CICE [Mexico], and with Alabama Steel Terminals.

“DPH’s terminals went live this year (2014). Jade now manages and supports these installations from its office in the US. The Mobile installation was completed in just six weeks.”

We’re confident that 2015 will see more success for Master Terminal. As Capt. Kaustubh Dalvi, Master Terminal Director of Sales, told World Cargo News, “I have no doubt that very soon Master Terminal will become the de facto standard TOS for mixed cargo ports, setting benchmarks globally.”

Busy African ports open up to Master Terminal

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Jade Logistics’ port management software, Master Terminal has been selected by one of Africa’s busiest port operators, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority to operate two of the continents major sea ports.

Ghana’s Tema and Takoradi ports which are some of the busiest terminals in West Africa, handle the majority of the country’s growing exports of raw minerals, produce and oil.

David Lindsay, CEO of Jade Logistics,  says Ghana Ports are strategically located being close to shipping routes and major ports of call for ships from all continents.

“We’re thrilled as the Ghana win gets Master Terminal into two important ports in the world’s fastest growing region with cargo volumes expected to rise markedly.”

“This is also strategically significant as it represents the first penetration into the burgeoning African continent for Jade and Master Terminal. The two ports in Ghana handle approximately 17 million tonnes of mixed cargo and containers, with vast opportunities for growth in the coming years. In particular container traffic is forecast to double over the next decade,” says Lindsay.

Lindsay adds that Master Terminal with its specialist ability to manage mixed cargo and multi-terminal customer needs is a perfect fit for growing and ambitious ports such as Tema and Takoradi.

“Tema, which is the larger of the two sea ports and services a busy industrial city. In a typical year Tema will receive on average over 1650 ships, including container, general cargo, tankers, roll on roll off and cruise vessels so Master Terminal is ideal to cater for this diverse mix.”

Lindsay notes that Takoradi port is ideally placed to Accra, the capital of Ghana as well as Abidjan, the capital city of La Cote d’Ivoire and so has become the preferred gateway to the middle and northern parts of Ghana and the Sahelian landlocked countries of Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali.

“Like Tema, Takoradi is serviced by all the leading international shipping lines and in addition, because of its proximity to the rich oil and gas fields, Takoradi is also able to support the specialist supply vessels involved in exploration and production activities.”

The General Manager-Marketing and Business Development for Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Mrs Alice Torkornoo says the port operator was looking for a solution to effectively manage its two busy ports, and at the same time be able to scale its operations to handle the increased volumes expected over the coming years.

“Master Terminal was selected as the best fit. The multi-cargo aspect perfectly suits our ports, and the proven technology and strong support network gave us confidence that Master Terminal would enable us to compete for new business, increase efficiency, security and consumer confidence, while reducing our costs,” says Torkornoo.

David Lindsay adds that Jade was delighted to be selected by Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, especially as the Authority looks to position itself in the region through an extensive expansion and modernisation programme.

“Master Terminal is the leading and fastest growing system globally for mixed cargo terminals, I am confident it will support productivity and efficiency gains for Ghana Ports and Harbour Authority.

“Jade will now look to engage channel partners in the wider African region to support the increased Master Terminal sales demand.”

Implementation of Tema and Takoradi will commence this year with go live in 2014.