When it comes to improving import and export, port authorities and their private-sector partners are making major investments in adding or improving their on-dock rail facilities, according to Kurt Nagle, president and CEO of American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), Alexandria, Va.
“Based on AAPA’s survey responses, a majority of U.S. ports are engaged in upgrading and/or expanding their on-dock rail systems, but have cited the need for outside resources, primarily federal funds, to help pay the costs,” adds Nagle. “In addition to rail infrastructure improvements at ports, information technology is also helping to hasten the movement of cargo. For instance, to speed cargo flow, ports are investing in digital cameras and other technology to track devices installed on shipping containers that provide vital information about their whereabouts in the supply chain. At many ports, digital cameras rather than human inspectors are used at terminal gates to examine containers for mechanical fitness and check that security seals are intact. And, thanks to digital systems, drivers no longer need to pull out paperwork and wait while someone checks printed information against a computer screen. A digital camera can identify the unit number of the container, match it automatically with the advanced billing data that has been entered into the system, and in some cases, immediately tell the driver where to go within the marine terminal to discharge his or her load.”