U.S. Ports Adopt Automation Technologies
“These projects are already generating results,” Cordero says. During the first half of 2024, the port moved 25% of cargo using on-dock rail, 6% more than in 2023. Average rail dwell time in July 2024 was four days, compared to 16 days during the supply chain disruption in October 2022. PORT OF LOS ANGELES The Port of Los Angeles has multiple rail-related projects underway or about to start. In July 2024, the port completed construction on a $73-million rail expansion project on Pier 400. The project included the addition of 31,000 linear feet of track, with five new railroad storage tracks; a concrete rail bridge with lighting; an asphalt access roadway; and new crossovers and turnouts, along with other changes, says Eric Caris, director of cargo marketing. The project also relocated a portion of the lead track onto the Port of Los Angeles property, realigned the track connection to the rail storage yard, and relocated the at-grade crossing from Nimitz Avenue to Reeves Avenue, among other changes. By increasing use of the Pier 400 on-dock rail yard, the project will create additional rail capacity. The expanded rail yard is projected to eliminate an estimated 1,200 daily truck trips by 2040, Caris says. To help cover the costs, the port received a $21.6-million grant from the California Trade Corridor Enhancement Program (TCEP). The port funded the remaining cost of nearly $51.6 million. Along with infrastructure enhancements, the Port of Los Angeles is investing in digital tools. The Port Optimizer, a cloud-based information portal that digitalizes maritime shipping data, enables shippers, cargo owners, terminal operators, and others to better predict and plan cargo movement, and to respond to issues more quickly. In July 2024, the Port of Los Angeles announced it had been awarded $8 million from the California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development to accelerate
Process automation technologies reduce human involvement in optimizing, tracking, or communicating container movements within a port. For example, an automated gate system uses sensors to collect information from trucks and containers that pass through a port’s gates. Or, digital ledgers can record transactions and provide real-time monitoring of container location instead of a worker manually recording this information into a physical ledger.
Automated cargo handling equipment reduces human involvement in loading, unloading, or moving containers within the terminal. For example, an automated gantry crane stacks or transports containers to a truck or train. Automated gantry cranes can either be operated by software or by a worker located in a remote location to guide containers onto a truck chassis or train. This contrasts with conventional equipment that relies on a crane operator to move containers.
SOURCE: U.S. Government Accountability Office report
30 Inbound Logistics • October 2024
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