At a time when cargo theft is all too common, Live Position can also help recover freight when thieves, masquerading as legitimate drayage drivers, make off with containers. “We’ve been able to chase down these containers and help law enforcement get them back,” Schmidt says. Crowley also uses digital technology to give customers better insights into their shipments. For instance, it has developed a container availability tool, powered by AI and machine learning. Cutting Carbon As ocean carriers and shippers navigate a complex transportation environment, they also need to consider their impact on the earth’s physical environment. Some of Crowley’s latest efforts to reduce emissions focus on its vessels’ hulls. “We look at the latest coatings to put on the bottom of the ships to reduce emissions and keep them running as efficiently as possible,” says Bennett. The company is also piloting the use of robotic devices that clean marine growth off the ship as it travels. “That can make the vessel anywhere from 7% to 12% more fuel efficient,” he says. As part of its drive to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, Danish
Ports Move Ahead With Upgrades As ocean carriers add new services and technology tools to keep cargo flowing, U.S. ports are working to improve the transfer of goods between land and sea. For instance, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey committed $82 million in 2024 to two major upgrade projects. In one initiative, worth $50 million, the Port Authority and the Army Corps of Engineers are performing berth maintenance dredging, berth rehabilitation, and berth construction. In the second, the Port is investing $32 million to widen its Gravesend Anchorage and deepen it from 47 feet to 50 feet. This will provide new anchorage space for the largest container ships, say port officials. In April 2024, the Port of Brownsville, Texas received $1.1 million from the U.S. government to fund its Port of Brownsville Suitability Analysis and Feasibility project. This study will lay the groundwork for a series of infrastructure improvements aimed at receiving larger vessels efficiently and safely. The Port of Galveston broke ground in July 2024 on $90 million in construction to improve and expand its West Port Cargo Complex. This will give the port 30 new acres of cargo-handling space and a new berth. The port will also enclose two obsolete slips and demolish an old grain elevator, making more space for roll-on/roll-off cargo, wind turbine components, and other cargo. A $3 million grant from the California Department of Transportation will help the Port of Oakland and the City of Oakland develop a plan to mitigate the risk of flooding from sea level rise and groundwater intrusion. A second $3 million grant from the state will help the port develop its Port Integrated Data Environment, a platform to unite various digital services to improve cargo flow and visibility. The Port of Virginia is continuing work on its $650 million project, launched in 2023, to renovate the North Berth at Norfolk International Terminals, creating three terminals capable of handling the world’s largest cargo ships. The port is also preparing to open a new, 55-foot deep shipping channel in 2025. This channel is estimated to be the deepest on the U.S. East Coast.
shipping company A.P. Moller-Maersk is renewing its fleet of large container ships with 24 new vessels that incorporate dual-fuel engines. These
Before Maersk began deploying ships that run on bio-methanol, the company used other biofuels and gave shippers the chance to decarbonize their supply chains through a service called ECO Delivery. “ECO Delivery gives customers the ability to choose to ship their ocean cargo with lower carbon fuels,” says a Maersk spokesperson. The carrier uses a chain of custody model called “mass balance” to offer ECO Delivery on all its routes. “Even if a specific vessel is not using ECO Delivery fuel, other vessels in the network are, and those emissions savings are attributed to the ECO Delivery customer,” he says. In 2024, Maersk added ECO Delivery Inland, which uses electric trucks for drayage service, in several U.S. markets. Although today’s global transportation marketplace often churns up rough seas, the solutions that carriers bring to bear can help companies keep their shipments on course. n
ships can run on bio- methanol as well as on traditional marine fuel, helping to reduce carbon footprint. By 2027, Maersk expects to have 25 large, dual-fuel vessels on the water. At that point, Maersk’s greenhouse gas abatement will equal about 3 million tons, says a company spokesperson. With additional orders in the future, Maersk plans to bring its total dual- fuel fleet to between 50 and 60 vessels, including both owned and chartered ships, with a total capacity of 800,000 TEUs.
Hapag-Lloyd’s visibility solutions and services enable more effective container tracking and help recover stolen cargo.
October 2024 • Inbound Logistics 35
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