DCN0718_Combined_150

PORT & CONTAINER EQUIPMENT
“When Patricks years ago put
Fisherman Island into place, the pressure
really was on DPWA to automate their
terminal and offer a consistent service.
“But then the pressure [was on] DPWA
to do the next one as you go around the
chain of ports in Australia and the same
with Patricks. So it self-generates because
the shipping lines need consistency.”
Mr McLean continued, saying,
“Shipping lines have to have that
[consistency] to be efficient and we want
goods that we’ve ordered… so the key to
stevedores is building a very consistent,
reliable, fast service for their clients.”
Meanwhile, Maersk Line Oceania
operations manager Stuart Jennings said
in a high-cost country such as Australia,
productivity and efficiency in every
aspect of the whole cargo supply chain
must be maximised.
“Maersk Line welcomes close
collaboration across the entire ecosystem
of the supply chain – customers, shipping
lines, port operators, container depots,
freight forwarders and authorities - to
ensure Australia remains competitive in
the global marketplace,” he said.
“We see plenty of opportunity for
key stakeholders, both in Australia
and globally, to work jointly on the
development of digital solutions which
support future industry efficiencies and
customer benefits.”
Above: Peter McLean, Kalmar Asia-Pacific
senior vice-president
Port operators and stevedoring companies are checking out the
options available to them in terms of automated technology
A recent trip to Webb Dock in
Melbourne provided some insights into
the future of automated technology on
the waterfront.
It was there that visitors were able
to get a first-hand look at the Easy Mile
EZ-10 vehicle, a driverless shuttle that
allows people to safely move around
the docks.
The EZ-10 was in Melbourne for trials
involving the EasyMile company and
Melbourne International RoRo and
Automotive Terminal.
EasyMile business development and
project delivery manager for the Asia
Pacific, Adwait Kale, told Daily Cargo
News a little about the concept.
He explained how the first three
prototypes were commercialised
in Singapore in 2014 and are still in
operations ​in Gardens by the Bay.
The machines are manufactured
by a car and minibus manufacturing
company Ligier in the south of
France. EasyMile in turn provided the
automation technology.​
EASY MILE SHUTTLE
OFFERS A SNAPSHOT
OF THE FUTURE
Mr Kale said the cost in Australia to
buy an EZ-10 would be around $360,000
plus importation costs.
For hiring, the cost would vary, but
he mentions it would be around $8000
a month for a five-year lease.
The EZ 10 carries 14 people and
those who visited MIRRAT during the
recent demonstration got a good feel
for its steering and braking capabilities.
MIRRAT head of commercial and
stakeholder management Jed Smith
said they partnered with EasyMile to
better understand the technology, how
it works, how it performs in a dynamic
environment and how they could design
yard infrastructure to cater for such
vehicles in the future.
“The real benefit of these trials for
us is to gain some exposure to this
technology and begin building our
knowledge on how it works and what
are its requirements,” Mr Smith said.
The unit and the EasyMile team
arrived onsite on Tuesday, 5 June for
three days of tests at MIRRAT.
BLOCKCHAIN
No article in 2018 would be complete
without discussing blockchain, and Mr
McLean said it did not yet keep him
awake at night.
“But again, it also is going to be part of
our world,” he said.
“It is something that we either will
start to develop ourselves or we will
partner with people; of course and that’s
really what blockchain is all about as well.
“So again it’s coming, and that’s why
I think anyone who doesn’t open their
doors and partner will be left behind in
this industry.”
ICHCA Australia director Peter van
Duyn helped organise the Global Shippers
Forum and agreed the trends influencing
automation were of great significance.
“Automation is very important, as
labour costs are only going to go higher,”
Mr van Duyn said.
“But it’s also about safety. We’ve had
incidents recently where people were hurt
on the waterfront.
“Had there been automation, you
would have had damage but no injuries.”
Mr van Duyn said automation
would not necessarily be implemented
everywhere overnight, but would happen.
He noted Mr McLean’s comments
about sharing technology.
“It’s interesting because some
companies may feel they have a
commercial advantage, a bit like Tesla
or Uber, and are reluctant to give up too
much information,” he said.
“But if there is some sharing of
ideas there could be benefits for the
waterfront overall.”
Kalmar
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First published in 1891
July 2018 thedcn.com.au