South Carolina Ports (SC Ports) and Copenhagen-based tech company Portchain have announced a strategic collaboration in order to digitise berth planning.
The goal of the cooperation is the optimisation of the quayside operations for SC Ports’ container terminals, starting with the newly-established Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal (HLT).
Subsequently, the Wando Welch Terminal (WWT) and North Charleston Terminal (NCT) of SC Ports will adapt the Berth Optimization Engine (BOE) application of Portchain, which is also working with several operators in the industry such as Port of Tanjung Pelepas and Hapag-Lloyd.
The adoption of the Portchain system by SC Ports’ box terminals will mark the company’s first entry into the US market, after Europe and Asia.
The Artificial Intelligence solutions provider, Portchain said, “This digital planning process will enable more accurate and reliable berth scheduling and allow planners to quickly evaluate different scenarios and select the optimal plan, while quickly responding to new customer information.”
Stakeholders in the port community and shipping lines will utilise Portchain’s cloud-based platform, as well, with real-time access to the latest berth schedule, according to an announcement.
“With Portchain, we will deploy the latest cloud technology to digitise and improve vessel operation planning, and create a distinctive customer experience by connecting all stakeholders to the multi-terminal berth plan in real-time,” commented Joel Britt, Senior Director of Operations at SC Ports.
Additionally, Thor Thorup, co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Portchain, pointed out that “Our application supports data-driven evaluation of different scenarios and will significantly increase planning speed and accuracy.”
