Australian stevedore implements box track and trace system

P&O Ports Australia will push to implement sophisticated tracking and tracing systems at its Australian container handling facilities in 2002. P&O Ports general manager for container handling Tim Blood says technologies equipped to track containers “for virtually every inch of their journey” are essential for maximising just in time manufacturing principles. Investments in tracking and tracing technologies, which will eventually be marketed globally, are important for maximising the efficiency gains achieved following the Australian dockside upheavals of 1998. “Until we get a proper track and trace system we face a significant impediment to building on efficiency gains we?ve made so far,” says Blood. P&O?s drive to implement these technologies in Australia over the next three to six months will focus on encouraging importers and exporters to purchase an e-seal (electronic seal) or a radio frequency identification tag for their container. P&O has installed Radio Frequency Identification (RFD) readers for automatic detection of electronic seals at its Port Botany, Sydney terminal and will progressively install them at terminals around the country in the first half of 2002. The track and trace technology is facilitated by eLogicity International Pte Ltd – an equal shareholding of P&O Ports Australia, the Port of Singapore Authority and P-Serv Technology Pte Ltd – whose global network of Radio Frequency Identification (RFD) readers detects the eSeals affixed to the containerised cargoes and uploads the information to eLogicity?s track and trace database. Access methods for this information include a website, in-house ERP/SCM systems integrated to eLogicity?s application and internet marketplaces communities integrated to eLogicity?s application. Blood says Australia?s stevedoring duopoly, P&O Ports and Patrick, need the policy support of governments and port authorities to ensure they can confidently invest in new technologies. The Australian container market sat at just 2.5 million containers and a rising tendency by some State Governments to encourage new entrants will deter the incumbent operators from investing in new technologies, equipment and management systems. Greater flexibility is still needed from the nation?s maritime unions particularly at the west coast port of Fremantle where lower volumes (354,000 TEU annually) resulted in periods of peaks and troughs of labour demand, claims Blood. “We?re a lot closer than we were a few years ago in terms of flexible work practices, but we still have a long way to go,” he says.