Is Your Terminal Ready For Automation?
Automation in ports is being a transformative force given its ability to revolutionize terminal operations. With the potential to increase efficiency, reduce costs, enhance safety, optimize space utilization, improve reliability, and increase environmental sustainability, the benefits of automation promise to reshape the landscape of maritime logistics.
Whether automation is worth investing into is however a complex exercise given the high initial capital costs as well as concerns on the actual productivity gains. This complexity also could explain the slow adoption of automation in the port industry. Although the reduction in labour costs in undoubtful, the upfront investment required for automated equipment could potentially outweigh associated future savings. Moreover, the extent to which automation leads to lower overall handling costs varies depending on the specific context and circumstances of each port or terminal.
With each port potentially having diverse drivers for automation, it becomes imperative to carefully assess whether a port or terminal is ready for automation and identify the area best suited for automation implementation. At HPC, we guide our clients through this tailor-made assessment process, aiding them in crafting a suitable roadmap for its implementation.
HPC's SCOPE OF Automation Readiness Services
Assessing Terminal Readiness for Adoption of Automation
Determining the level of suitability and readiness of a terminal towards the adoption of – a higher or lesser extend of- automation involves a 360 degrees analysis of the terminal landscape. At HPC we are advocates of an integrated and holistic approach which carefully evaluates all aspects that are integral to the terminal environment. Our methodology focuses on:
Business Process Landscape: With the business processes being the backbone of the operations it is imperative to identify the level of standardisation, the various roles and manual interactions and evaluate the efforts and gaps when moving towards the implementation of automation solutions with their new process requirements.
IT Landscape: Both the existing IT systems and IT infrastructure are evaluated for their reliability, compatibility, and potential for integration with various automation technologies.
Data Quality and Accessibility: in combination with the business processes and the IT systems in place the quality of the data, the availability and
the timeliness of information provided by external stakeholders is being looked into as one of the main requirements for an efficient flow of data which is imperative for the implementation and integration of automation solutions.
Safety and Regulatory Compliance: Local, national and international regulations related to the implementation of automation in terms of safety of operations but also safety of data exchanged, are thoroughly examined. The regulatory framework can dictate the level of automation that is possible to be implemented and determine operational limitations to be considered and adhered to.
People and Change Management: The success of any potential implementation is vitally linked to the staff openness to adoption of new ways of working, to the identification of requirements for training, the implementation of new standard operating procedures and the formulation of a change management plan targeting the expected resistance to change by the existing staff.
Why Working With HPC
Working with HPC to determine automation readiness offers several benefits. HPC brings extensive experience to the table, having completed numerous automation projects in ports and terminals worldwide.
HPC takes a comprehensive approach to automation readiness, considering all aspects including technology, processes, and personnel readiness.
Furthermore, we have expertise in integrating various automation components such as hardware, software, and processes, ensuring seamless implementation.
