Authors:

1. Combining the Management Activities of Loading and Discharging with those of the Container Yard in small to medium sized Terminals or Ports to reduce Port turn-a-round Times of Feeder Vessels Authors: Dr F A Schmidt - M & SS (Europe) Ltd, UK Mr M Ausiejus - SONEX CO., Lithuania 1

2. The Paper discusses Work related to: • Reducing the Port turn-a-round Time of Container Feeder Vessels • Suggests Ways to combine Loading and Discharging Operations with Yard Operation suitable for SMPs • The Means of Communication and the Processes required • RTD Work originates in EU sponsored Project TRAPIST • Considerable Implications on eLOGMAR-M 2

3. Background • Development of Short Sea Shipping in Europe • Bottlenecks: • Availability of Information • Port Infrastructure • Port Efficiency • Ship Operational Efficiency 3

4. OBJECTIVE To optimise Port turn-a-round Times by means of Real-Time Pre-Stowage Plans leading to improved Loading Arrangements 4

5. PROBLEM Feeder Vessels carrying unitised Cargoes and calling into several Ports in Sequence can experience Difficulties due to the Unavailability of Cargo- and Ship related Information as well as over-stowing of Cargo 5

6. QUESTIONS • How would it be possible to incorporate Loading / Discharging Management into a small to medium sized Terminal’s Container Management System? • How can selected Data be shared between Terminals and other Members of the Port Community? 6

7. Incorporate Loading / Discharging Management into a small to medium sized Terminal’s Container Management System • The Cargo Arrangement of a Container Vessel • forms a three-dimensional Construct of: • Layers - counting in Container Heights from the Tank Top upwards. • Bays - counting in Container Lengths from the Bow to the Stern. • Rows - counting in Container Widths from Centre Line to Port and Starboard. Layers Bays Rows 7

8. (Source: Vollharding Shipyard, the Netherlands, 2003) 8

9. Incorporate Loading / Discharging Management into a small to medium sized Terminal’s Container Management System • The Intersections of the three Dimensions form identifiable Slots in which Containers are carried. • The Principle of the “Operationally correct Allocation of Slots” according to: • Container Weight • Port of Discharge • Sequence of Destination- or Discharge Ports, combined with the • Knowledge of which Slots in a named Vessel are occupied and which ones are available for booking, at anyone time throughout the Voyage, offers a Solution. 9

10. A Pre-Stowage Plan can be developed in Real-Time as a Result of Cargo Bookings Questions • “How can the Real-Time Data Transfer between Actors, i.e. Ship, Terminal, Shipping Office, Freight Forwarder and Authorities, e.g. Customs, be effected?” and • “How can Booking Clerks be guided to select the operationally correct Slot?” 10

11. Real-Time Data Transfer between Actors can be achieved by combining • The Use of Spreadsheets, one for each Dimension, denoting: • Layer, • Bay, and • Row, with • The Use of Hand-held Mobile Computers: • Computers programmed in “html”. • Associated Web-Applications and GUI, for non-IT personnel, programmed in XML. 11

12. Incorporate Loading / Discharging Management into a small to medium sized Terminal’s Container Management System • Mobile Computers communicate over the Internet with a Common System connected to a Database. • Ship / Port / Terminal, Shipping Line(s), and other Members of the Port Community, selectively access the Database according to their Privilege. • Using XML and Web-Messaging, mobile Computers and PCs are able to communicate with one another. • As a Result, any Booking and associated Allocation of Slot Space on a particular Vessel and Sailing, updates the Database AND through this, the Pre-Stowage Plan in Real-Time using the Common System. 12

13. The Communication System Status Quo: • Generally, Information Exchange is by means of Phone, Fax or e-mail. • Information concerning Ship and Cargo is transmitted by Humans. • Ports have their own Systems Architecture and Systems Platforms differ between Terminals. Status Desirable: • A System “devoid” of Human Factors. A System that can unite SMPs into an “indiscrete” System able to automatically exchange Information. 13

14. Mission of such a “Common System” • To track Information on the Vessel and Cargo Traffic. • To enable the Actors of the Port Community to share Information. Two Main Tracking Aspects • Information re. The Cargo Location is available to the Actors at any Time and anywhere. • Information re. The Cargo Arrangement on a particular Vessel is available to the Actors at any Time and anywhere. 14

15. The Common System Operates with two Objects: ‘Vessel’ and ‘Cargo’ 15

16. Information Flow • The Vessel arrives: • The Terminal’s Communication System sends Msg.1 • Vessel’s Name, Time of Arrival, and • Ship and Cargo related Information. • The Common System: • Receives Notification of the Vessel’s Location • Ship and Cargo related Information, and • Allows Actors to query and amend this Information. • The Vessel has been served and leaves the Terminal: • The Terminal’s Communication System sends Msg.2 • Vessel’s Name, Time of Departure, • Port of Destination and ETA, • Cargo Arrangement at the Time of Departure. 16

17. Information Flow The Common System notifies other Terminals or Ports, along the Ship’s Route, of the State of the Vessel 17

18. Information Flow Activities: • The Ship is in Port A. • The Terminal’s Communication System sends Ship specific Information to the Common System. • The Common System makes this Information available to the Port Community for querying and amending. • Scenario 1: • The Terminal or Port initiates the Information Retrieval from the Common System on the Terminal’s Request. • Scenario 2: • The Common System spreads the Information for the Terminals or Ports along the Itinerary of the Vessel. Assumption: Port A = Port of Departure; Port D = Port of Destination 18

19. Information Flow • Scenario 1: • The Terminal or Port initiates the Information Retrieval from the Common System on the Terminal’s Request. • Increases Administrative Costs. • Scenario 2: • The Common System spreads the Information for the Terminals or Ports on the Itinerary of the Vessel. • Increases the Hardware and Software Costs. 19

20. Information Flow and the Common System • The Dependency of Terminal Systems on Hardware Platforms: • Will cause Difficulties in the Selection and Imple- mentation of the Unified Software installed in the Communications Module of the Common System. • Demands a Communication System and Software specifically developed for the Task. 20

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22. Communication between the Terminal and the Common System The Terminal’s Container Management System: • exchanges Data with the Common System by means of the Combination of a: • Data Transmitter and • Data Connector. • The Data Connector: • takes account of the External System and its Architecture used by the Terminal. • serves as a Data Abstraction Facility. • The Data Transmitter: • communicates with the Terminal’s Container Management System by means of the Data Connector. 22

23. Communication between the Common System and the Actors of the Port Community • The Actor makes his Request for Information. • The Common System accepts the Request after checking the ‘Authorisation’ of the Actor. • The Common System analysis the Request by extracting information re. Actor Type and Device Type. • The Common System decides: • if the Information can be returned or not; • what kind of Data Transformation should be applied to suite the receiving Device; • ensures that the returned Information is represented in the appropriate manor. 23

24. Implementation of the Common System A three-Layer Model comprising: • A Communication Level, i.e. the Entry Level Server dedicated to the Communication Purposes. • An Application Level, i.e. the Middle Level Server dedicated to the Processing of Requests. • A Data Storage Level, i.e. the Middle Level Server in a Cluster Environment. 24

25. Industrial Application • to Problems and Communication System demands: • A Distribution of Container Weights - ‘Layers’. • A distribution of Containers according to Port of Destination – ‘Bays’. • A Distribution of Container Weights – ‘Rows’. • The proposed Communication System in conjunction with the above Distributions enables correct Slot Allocation as part of the Booking Process and results in a Real-Time Pre-Stowage Plan. 25

26. Distributions according to Weight and Destination 26

27. Results • Real-Time and correct Information available prior to the Arrival of the Vessel. • Reduced multiple handling of Containers due to Over- Stowing, Access Requirements and Stability / Trim. • Reduced Distances travelled by Container Handling Equipment on the Terminal. • Block Stowage and the possible Combination of Discharging and Loading Processes. • Better Utilisation of the Terminal’s Assets and increased Container Throughput in the Port / Terminal. • Fewer Delays due to missing Information and a commercially more attractive Port / Terminal. • Fewer Changes to the Pre-Stowage Plan during Discharging and Loading avoiding associated Delays. • Reduced Port turn-a-round Times. • Less Uncertainty in ETAs and ETDs. 27

28. Thank You for Your Attention 28