New Orleans Terminal, LLC, (NOT) operates the principal container terminal in the booming Port of New Orleans, aiding the port in achieving record volumes of cargo in 2018. NOT provides 45 feet of draft, six ship-to-shore gantry cranes, in excess of 300,000 square feet of warehouse space, more than 45 acres of container marshaling land, and an on-dock rail facility.
Further, New Orleans serves as the gateway to the Mississippi River, the largest river system in the U.S., stretching more than 2,300 miles, and is responsible for moving more than 400 million short tons of commerce every year.
The combination of these operations allows the terminal’s customers and carriers to quickly and cost-effectively handle cargo, reduce intermodal consolidation and shipping costs, and access highly efficient and trafficked barge and rail shipping avenues.
NOT relies on the connectivity of its technology partners to achieve these markers and consistently move significant cargo volumes through its terminal.
When the terminal’s previous terminal operating system (TOS) was nearing expiration and while contemplating integrating its first rail module system, NOT needed a comprehensive TOS solution that would offer increased efficiency in its intermodal, vessel, and yard operations, while also integrating with its current and future technology solutions.
James Parker, vice president of NOT, has been with the terminal for 16 years and has worked in the maritime industry for 36 years. James’ experience and industry knowledge of TOS solutions made him the clear decision-maker overseeing the identification, purchase, and implementation of a new TOS solution for NOT. James was also tasked with integrating the port’s first intermodal rail system, which amplified the need for him to select an intelligent and all-inclusive TOS solution.
Previously, NOT was using a custom-built TOS solution, but when that system was approaching its expiration, and considering the terminal’s changing needs for a rail module and more complex system integrations, James knew it was time to investigate more comprehensive solutions.
Earlier in his career, James worked with Port of Miami Terminal Operating Company (POMTOC), which was using Maher Terminal Logistics System at the time. James was involved in assessing the terminal’s replacement TOS system, resulting in the selection of Tideworks Technology. James was impressed with Tideworks at POMTOC and witnessed an increase in the efficiency of the terminal’s vessel operations after the implementation. He was also impressed with Tideworks’ straightforward user interface, its technical expertise, and dedicated customer support. The combination of these benefits was critical in NOT’s selection process.
James evaluated several solutions, but as he ruled out various providers, Tideworks remained the favorite.
I knew Tideworks would be the best option to meet our requirements as a mid-size terminal, and would also fall in line with our cost considerations, I’ve found there are two key variants that differentiate TOS options for operators: cost and ease of use. Tideworks’ solution checked both of these boxes for us.
I can’t stress enough the value Tideworks’ customer service plays and the knowledge of the staff, and there is no lag time. Tideworks is always one email or call away.
In 2016, NOT implemented Tideworks under its hosted model, CitadelMCSM, which includes the Mainsail® core TOS, Forecast® customer service web portal, Traffic Control™ equipment dispatch and management, as well as the Spinnaker® graphical rail, vessel, and yard planning system. During the installation period, it was critical for Tideworks to integrate with NOT’s other technology solutions to ensure the efficiency of operations, as well as to reduce any interruption in service.
NOT uses a third-party technology gate system, Smart-Tecs. The company develops and implements advanced software and security solutions for the transportation and logistics industries. During implementation, the three organizations, Tideworks, Smart-Tecs, and NOT, formed a true partnership to ensure smooth ongoing operations while integrating the various systems.
In only four months NOT went live with a fully integrated TOS, gate, appointment, and yard logistics solutions. “We had a very short window to complete the implementation. We all put our helmets on and didn’t come out until the system was successfully integrated and installed,” explained James.
The dedication from all parties to get NOT’s technology and TOS platforms running smoothly directly impacted NOT’s business by minimizing downtime while bringing the system and the team up to speed quickly.
Since implementation, the combination of Tideworks’ and Smart-Tecs’ solutions has resulted in reduced turn times and increased overall operational efficiency.
“Our staffs’ ability to quickly become proficient with the technology and each vendor’s unique solutions play a large role in providing these improvements to our customers,” added James.
New Orleans services six “Class 1” rail lines: CN, CSX, BN, UP, KCS, and the NS. Additionally, in 2007, the formation of the New Orleans Intermodal Rail Ramp located adjacent to the NOT container marshaling yard created the opportunity for an On-Dock-Rail facility to expedite direct movements of intermodal cargo to vessel yard stacks, eliminating the trucking node from ramp to terminal and vice versa.
Tideworks’ rail planning module within Spinnaker® was a first for NOT’s operation and an important opportunity for NOT to achieve rail efficiency. “We did not have a rail system in place previously. Implementation of Tideworks’ solution provided the rail planning capabilities, visibility and controls we were lacking and brought increased productivity pretty much immediately,” said James.
The combination of Tideworks’ solutions and ability to smoothly integrate with NOT’s existing technology solutions drove new productivity and revenue for NOT.
Tideworks’ marine TOS, in combination with Smart-Tecs gate automation, has enabled NOT to maximize throughput, supporting the growing Mississippi River and Gulf container traffic. The technology facilitates safe, quick and trouble-free processing of trucks; straightforward export cargo sorting in the yard, and intuitive vessel load and discharge planning using Spinnaker’s advanced toolset. Quay crane productivity has consistently increased since the transition to Tideworks.
“Tideworks’ support and long-term mindset have made the process much smoother than we could have anticipated,” noted James. “The partnership has given us the tools and confidence to support our growing volumes while continuing to provide world-class service to our customers.”
With the implementation of Spinnaker, NOT also gained significantly better visibility into yard operations, an increased ability to better organize container storage areas, and an overall improvement of terminal operations.
The terminal oversees a significant container marshaling area (more than 45 acres), and Tideworks’ solutions helped NOT optimize yard management processes.
“Integration of Tideworks’ solution made it a lot easier to digitally sort through our yard,” said James. “And the new, tablet-based yard inventory application in Traffic Control helps us keep the yard updated and well organized.”
This capability has decreased the standard time to sort through inventory in the yard, allowing NOT to improve inventory accuracy and resulting in safer and faster movement of cargo through the terminal and to its next mode of transportation.
Tideworks’ TOS user-friendly interface set the groundwork for a short installation period for James and his team. After initial implementation, the system’s ease of use continued to trickle benefits throughout several operational areas including labor training, equipment productivity, and runtime, as well as the terminal’s own customer relations and support capabilities.
James knew a system that is intuitive and easily adopted by staff and the workforce would be imperative to increase the terminal’s efficiency, cut operating costs, and minimize potential downtime occurring from learning errors.
“Turnover can be high and unpredictable with workers, so it was critical to have a system that could be easily taught to new labor to keep the terminal running without interruptions,” James added.
Within the first months of installation, NOT was able to streamline employee onboarding to the new TOS due to the overall ease of use of Tideworks’ interface, and longshore workers new to NOT require little if any training to come up to speed quickly on the system.
In addition to ease of use and the range of technology offerings, James has been most impressed by Tideworks’ customer service and the level of care the support team provides. “I can’t stress enough the value Tideworks’ customer service plays and the knowledge of the staff, said James. “And there is no lag time. Tideworks is always one email or call away.”
James shared that his team doesn’t hesitate to reach out to Tideworks for support or problem-solving. “Sometimes when you’re dealing with the bigger players, you get lost in the shuffle, but the team at Tideworks is always there to help. Their dedication and willingness to quickly guide our team makes life easier,” James added.
By having Tideworks readily available and responsive, NOT is able to avoid service delays and better solve problems for its own customers and partners. “Tideworks’ customer service directly correlates to being able to provide that same level of service to our customers,” said James. “Their ability to quickly solve problems, like a missing bill of lading prohibiting the ability to make an appointment, helps boost our productivity, provide a superior experience for our customers, and maintain a positive reputation.”
The comprehensive TOS solution has allowed NOT to provide its staff and customers with real-time status updates and advanced visibility into the location of cargo throughout the terminal and during transport.
In 2018, the Port of New Orleans set a container volume record handling 591,250 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs). This growth was a 12.3 percent increase over the TEUs moved in 2017, and is the fifth consecutive year that the port surpassed moving half a million TEUs at its Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal, which NOT and Ports America jointly operate.
Tideworks empowers NOT to continue handling record container volumes, while also providing the highest quality of service and care to its carriers and customers.
Tideworks is currently working with NOT to implement its Terminal View™ 3D data visualization tool, which will enable James and his team to envision all operations simultaneously, in three dimensions. “Terminal View is a very slick product, and it’s not just eye-candy,” James said. “We’ll be able to see bottlenecks at a glance, and even where they might occur in the future based on our plans, allowing us to take quick, corrective action where needed, as well as informing our decisions about preventive measures. We’re excited to get it in here.”
NOT is already taking advantage of automation in the gate and will be implementing additional automation in the near future. Moreover, NOT is maintaining a close eye on technology developments and trends in the transportation industry, which are likely to impact operations in the next five to 10 years.
The ability to automate is directly improving James and his team’s ability to oversee and control terminal management.
“We’re currently working on making automation improvements to increase efficiency for operations and our staff,” shared James. “Automation isn’t replacing human workers; it’s keeping them out of harm’s way and freeing individuals up for different tasks,” he added.
The future is bright for NOT and will remain so as the terminal continues to embrace technology as a tool for improving operations.Through the partnership with Tideworks, NOT is able to optimize efficiency across all aspects of operations impacting NOT’s customer service, terminal productivity, as well as staff and labor management.The port’s ability to embrace technology will continue to play a critical role as they uncover customers’ evolving needs and assess new industry trends that provide opportunities for further innovation.
©2024 Tideworks. Partnering to optimize global logistics with integrity, efficiency, and flexibility.