Discussing automation during the TLME Future-Proof Technologies Conference held recently in Dubai, conference moderator and industry thought leader, Lars Jensen asked Dr Yvo Saanen, Director, Portwise, what was the best approach in planning for and achieving automation.
These days many conventional terminals were looking for their "path to automation" while slowly expanding remote operations, said Dr Saanen. So the operators are still kept, but now in an office space, which is likely to dramatically boost their productivity.
Remote operations also allow operators to make better use of available equipment without actually having to waste time in getting there to use it.
How fast the conversion from physical to remote operations will go depends on each terminal and processes they have to change to use automation effectively.
Automation is not only about implementing technology. For a large part, it is also about change management and taking the technology and seamlessly integrating it into operations, said Dr Saanen. Therefore, a calibarated, step-wise approach was required to implement automation.
Over the next 20 years automation of port and terminal operations was inevitable across ports globally, concluded Dr Saanen.
Watch more: Dr Yvo Saanen Highlights the Promises and Pitfalls of New Technologies