Port Performance Data Could Help Reduce Fuel Costs, Absorb Excess Capacity

JOC's Peter Tirschwell said the data will promote port improvements

JOC Group Inc. (JOC) announced Monday it has launched a database offering comparisons of performance and efficiency at ports worldwide, saying it could help carriers reduce their fuel costs.

The Port Productivity database measures container lifts, or Moves Per Hour (MPH), achieved at ports and marine terminals to indicate how quickly ships are loaded, unloaded, and sent back to sea to continue their service rotations.

"The quicker ships are turned around at port, the greater the opportunity for carriers to reduce fuel costs by slow steaming their vessels while staying on schedule," JOC said in a press release, adding that the practice can also help carriers to absorb excess capacity and reduce CO2 emissions.

Quicker vessel turnaround also allows cargo to be sent onward more quickly, promoting effective logistics.

"The database has a basic overall goal, which is to foster discussion and analysis that will lead to higher port productivity worldwide," said Chief Content Officer Peter Tirschwell.

"With ships getting larger and trade growing, productivity needs to be improved to avoid bottlenecks and excess cost in the international supply chain."

The database took five years to develop and uses information drawn from 87,000 vessel calls to 350 ports and 580 terminals worldwide.

Last year, PSA Singapore Terminals (PSA) announced it would invest S$3.5 billion ($2.85 billion) on new terminal development including an automated container yard designed to improve the efficiency of the terminal's operations.