The ability to exchange data between ship and shore, with systems that can ’speak’ to each other, is essential in optimizing the ports of the future.
“The digital transition is accelerating on both ships and port side. Crucially, this is happening alongside efforts to ensure better integration between digital systems and processes through applying programming interfaces (APIs), for example, along the entire supply chain,” says Ossi Mettala, product manager NAPA Shipping Solutions.
This increase in digitalisation is also leading to improvements in fleet and cargo transparency, which is helping to improve resource allocation in ports and throughout supply chains. With greater clarity on vessels’ arrival times and needs for port services, ports are better able to optimise services and reduce waiting times.
“The supply chain disruptions and port congestion experienced during and after Covid highlighted the importance of optimising port calls, as well as the need to move away from paper-based processes. This has been a major push factor for digitalisation,” explains Mettala. Another key driver is ports’ is continuing to focus on sustainability and ESG to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Going forward, there is an opportunity for the sector to make greater use of predictive analysis and AI capabilities to get a better understanding of operations, pinpoint inefficiencies in the port call process, and identify opportunities for improvement.
“Harnessing AI capabilities would enable ports to integrate and analyse even greater volumes of data to obtain new insights. Greater data transparency will help optimise operations holistically across supply chains, rather than optimising in silos,” said Mettala.
As one of Turkey’s leading ports, Marport continues to make significant contributions to the Turkish economy with investments made within the scope of the $250 million “Marport Modernization Project”. With this project, it has added 60 Ship to Shore Gantry Cranes (SSG) to the port with an investment of $4 million further increasing Marport’s power in international maritime transportation. These investments contribute to the growth of the country’s economy by ensuring that Turkey has a strong position in container ports.
Özgür Kalelioğlu, Chairman of Arkas Holding Port and Terminal Operations Group, emphasizes the important role of Marport in Turkey. Marport has a market share of 2.3% in Turkey and 12% in the Marmara Region with a capacity of 19 million TEU. These rates show that Marport has an important position not only in Turkey but also among the major ports worldwide. Kalelioğlu states that with these investments, Marport has reached a position where it can provide service to even the largest ships operating in the world’s seas with maximum efficiency.
Its SSG cranes achieved another first in Turkey, becoming the first and only port to provide service with 14 SSG cranes. These new cranes have the capacity to serve giant container ships with their 25+1 side reach capability. In particular, the 25+1 side reach feature means that the world’s largest ships can dock.
The new SSG cranes stand out with their advanced technology equipment. These cranes, which have a spreader bottom lifting height of 54 meters, an outreach length of 73 meters and a weight of approximately 1600 tons, provide maximum efficiency by operating at high speed. The SSG cranes, which have a hoist speed of 90 meters per minute when loaded and 180 meters per minute when empty, increase work safety while also maximizing operational efficiency. In addition, thanks to advanced technology systems such as “Ship Profiling” and “Chassis Positioning”, work safety risks are significantly reduced.
Kalelioğlu states the successes achieved by Marport are the result of 30 years of effort. With a total investment value exceeding 1 billion dollars, Marport assumes a locomotive role in Turkey’s domestic and foreign trade. Kalelioğlu says the new investments will continue to make significant contributions to Turkey’s economic growth.
Elsewhere, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has selected 55 applicants across 27 states and territories to receive nearly $3 billion through EPA’s Clean Ports Program. These grants will support the deployment of zero-emission equipment, as well as infrastructure and climate and air quality planning projects at ports across the country. The grants are funded by former President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act and will advance environmental justice by reducing diesel air pollution in U.S. ports and surrounding communities.
Ports are vital to the U.S. economy and are responsible for moving goods and people throughout the country. At the same time, the port and freight equipment responsible for moving goods including trucks, locomotives, marine vessels, and cargo-handling equipment contribute to significant levels of diesel air pollution at and near port facilities. The funds will improve air quality at ports across the country by installing clean, zero-emission freight and ferry technologies along with associated infrastructure, eliminating more than 3 million metric tons of carbon pollution, equivalent to 391,220 homes’ energy use for one year.
“Our nation’s ports are critical to creating opportunity here in America, offering good-paying jobs, moving goods, and powering our economy,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Today’s historic $3 billion investment builds on President Biden’s vision of growing our economy while ensuring America leads in globally competitive solutions of the future. Delivering cleaner technologies and resources to U.S. ports will slash harmful air and climate pollution while protecting people who work in and live nearby ports communities.”
Selected Zero-Emission Technology Deployment project examples include: The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) which will receive approximately $344,138,135 to work with five collaborating partners to implement their proposed project, Catalyzing Change: Zero-Emissions NY-NJ Port Projects for a Greener Future.
The proposed project includes the deployment of electric cargo handling equipment and drayage trucks with supporting charging infrastructure, including through a ZE Equipment for Ports (ZEEP) Voucher Incentive Program and Green Drayage Accelerator (GDA) program. PANYNJ commits to reducing the number of polluting vehicles at the port by scrapping a portion of the existing fleet. The project also includes the installation of vessel shore power infrastructure. As part of this project, PANYNJ will implement a community engagement plan and train workers to operate and maintain new equipment and infrastructure.
The Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority has been selected to receive an anticipated $21,905,782 to initiate the transition to a zero-emission future for the Port of Detroit in Michigan. The proposed project includes the acquisition and deployment of battery-electric cargo handling equipment, vessels, railcar movers, charging equipment, and solar arrays to support the electricity needs of the new equipment. The project also includes the scrappage of diesel cargo handling equipment, a vessel, and a railcar mover to reduce air pollution at the port and in the surrounding area. As part of this project, the applicant plans to develop a stakeholder engagement plan to facilitate community engagement and a guidebook for workforce development.
The Philadelphia Regional Port Authority has been selected to receive an anticipated $77,650,965 to deploy zero-emission port equipment across the Port of Philadelphia’s (PhilaPort) operations in Pennsylvania. The equipment slated for purchase under this project includes zero-emissions (ZE) cargo handling equipment and associated charging infrastructure. The project also includes the scrappage of a portion of the existing diesel fleet to reduce air pollution at the port and in the surrounding area. In addition to the deployment of zero emission technology, the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority plans to conduct community engagement and workforce development through this project.
Also, The Port Department of the City of Oakland has been selected to receive an anticipated $322,167,584 to purchase and deploy zero-emission technology at the Port of Oakland in California. Project activities include the deployment of electric and hydrogen cargo handling equipment, drayage trucks, charging infrastructure, and a battery energy storage system, and the scrappage of a portion of the existing diesel fleet. The project includes community engagement activities, workforce training on zero-emission equipment, and efforts to expand access to high-quality jobs in nearport communities.
As well as this, are selected Climate and Air Quality Planning projects such as The Port of Houston Authority in Texas, which will receive a grant for its Port Shift (Ports Optimizing Resilient Transportation through Sustainable, Human, Innovative, and Forward-looking Technology), a program designed to accelerate the introduction of zero-emissions technology into the Houston Port ecosystem.
Also, The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) will conduct planning for a breakbulk cargo terminal at the Port of Tacoma in Washington. Expected activities include completing a baseline emissions inventory and feasibility analysis of ZE technology to inform the development of a plan to transition 40 pieces of CHE and light-duty vehicles to zero-emissions, and engineering and design for shore power. A workforce development and climate resilience needs assessment will be prepared as part of the planning process.
