MANAGING CONTAINERS IN A MARINE TERMINAL: ASSESSING INFORMATION NEEDS

The research addresses questions about how intelligent transportation systems technologies that are being used to track and manage containers in transit can also be used to manage the stacked storage of containers in marine terminals. The research focuses on import container storage. The objective is to assess whether and how more accurate and timely information about the departure times of containers can be used to more efficiently and effectively manage import containers in stacked storage. An "informed" import storage strategy along with performance analyses of this strategy in relation to typical storage strategies used by ports is presented. The strategy for organizing import stacked storage is described. The study methodology used and subsequent analysis of these options regarding performance and economics follow. Results indicate that using a reservation system similar to the crescent system used by the port of New Orleans would significantly reduce import container-handling efforts. The system would enable a port operator to gather enough information about when import containers would leave the port to allow careful ordering of import container storage, which would result in reduced handling.