By Karen Robes Meeks
International port leaders recently convened in Los Angeles as part of chainPORT, an effort to link ports digitally and make the supply chain more efficient.
Created in 2015, chainPORT is led by the Ports of Los Angeles and Hamburg Port Authority in Germany in partnership with the Global Institute of Logistics.
“Working together to explore best practices and innovation, as well as leading-edge technology to improve port operations is more important than ever in a global environment,” said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka. “As a port, we need to continue to evolve and adapt to remain both competitive and relevant.”
The two-day meeting brought port leaders from Shanghai, Antwerp, Barcelona, Montreal, Felixstowe, Indonesia and Shenzhen. Seroka spoke about his port’s pilot program with GE Transportation to create a digital hub to provide shipping data in real time so those in the supply chain can better prepare to move cargo more efficiently.
The event featured presentations from chainPORT’s five working groups: Smart IT solutions; Implications & Solutions for Ultra Large Container Vessels; Digital Change within Port Authorities; Project chainLOG; and the Port Academy.
“Port operations are becoming more and more complex, and we strongly believe port authorities working together around the globe can add significant extra value to the global supply chain,” said Jens Meier, CEO of the Hamburg Port Authority. “Collaboration in a global network of ports and digitization is the way of the future.”
