APM Terminals Mumbai leads Performance Index with high volume and low vessel dwell times

Cont’d. from Pg. 2

This is 64th month in a row, that APM Terminals Mumbai has been placed in the star performance quadrant – for its combination of high volumes and outstandinglylowvesseldwelltimes.

APM Terminals Mumbai applies the company’s global approach to continuous improvement, known as the APM Terminals Way of Working. One element of this is to use Kaizen (Continuous Improvement) Events to map processesindetailandusethecombinedexpertiseofpeople on the front line to identify opportunities to, for example, shave precious minutes of tasks, reduce waste or improve safety. Kaizen Events are directly linked to the company strategyandassuch,acriticalenablertosuccess.

HighestgatewayterminalvolumesinIndia

Despite having the highest volumes of any gateway terminal in India, APM Terminals Mumbai managed to maintain some of the lowest dwell times for export and importcontainers.Dwelltimesimprovedfurtherstill-by over 7% - in the latest measurement between December 2022andJanuary2023.

Every colleague is encouraged and trained to be continuously looking for opportunities to improve performance. This loop then repeats, further refining whatthecompanydoesandhowitdoesit.Theelements and methods used in Way of Working are used across terminals globally, creating a common language, sharedbestpracticeandonewayofworking.

“At GTI, our people are our most important asset. TheircommitmenttowardsadoptingourWayofWorking creates an environment of continuous improvement focused on delivering best in class customer experience,” commented Sunay Mukherjee,

ChiefOperatingOfficeratGTI.

“Team GTI aims to be a shock absorber for shipping line networks, by constantly reducing vessel dwell time, allowingshipstogetbackonscheduleorenablingslower steam and reducing emissions. We have an ambition to reducethetimespentbyvesselsatportbymorethan20% incomparisontopreviousyears.”

30%TargetforPortStayReduction

Becauseofthis,learningsatAPMTerminalsMumbai can be applied globally to help the company achieve its global aspiration of a 20% average port stay reduction by 2023 (compared to 2021) and 30% by 2025 across terminalsworldwide.

“We have set the bar high, because we know that –especially in challenging times ahead – our customers need to unlock new opportunities to keep growing,” said APM Terminals CEO, Keith Svendsen. “And by reducing port stays across our terminals, we are unlocking new opportunities to save time, increase efficienciesandreduceemissions–becausewe’reableto make vessels’ journey through each of our terminals easierandfasterthaneverbefore.”

LogisticsDataServices

The Logistics Databank Analytics Report is published by NICDC Logistics Data Services (NLDS) - a joint venture between Government of India represented by National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT) and Japanese IT major NEC Corporation, with 50:50 equity participation. NLDSwasestablishedtoleverageICTacrosstheIndian Logistics Sector, and share best practices across the various processes and work towards bringing in efficiencyinthesupplychain.

ANTWERP: Moving more goods, faster and more economically by rail because it’s good for the economy and goodfortheenvironment.That’stheessenceofthisstory.The neutral operation of the automatic hump yard at the AntwerpNorth marshalling yard in the port is an important factor in achieving that goal. Thanks to this rail infrastructure in Belgium's largest and busiest freight station, trains can be assembled more efficiently. In order to create a level playing field for everyone, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, Railport Antwerp, Lineas and Infrabel are working together to make thisimportantfacilityavailabletoallrailoperators.

Fasterandmoreefficientfreighttraincomposition

Thanks to the automatic shuntingfacility at the AntwerpNorth marshalling yard in the Port of Antwerp-Bruges (PoAB), freight trains can be assembled up to six times faster. The importance of this logistics node, where "puzzling out" freight trains is part of daily business, should therefore not be underestimated. Nevertheless, this facility has been underutilized for some time. For many railway undertakings, theinvestments are too high because they need shunting locomotives and skilled personnel. A joint plan by Port of Antwerp-Bruges,RailportAntwerp,thefreightcarrierLineas and the infrastructure manager Infrabel is now set to change that. The centerpiece of this plan: neutral operation of the automatic shunting facility. It’s the first time in the history of Belgian railroads that something like this has happened. Morethanthat,it’sevenaEuropeanfirst!

Levelplayingfieldforall

Neutral operation of the rail facility began on April 1, 2023. This means that it’s available to all rail operators on equal terms. Lineas is committed to providing shuntingservices to all at market-based, transparent prices and conditions. This activity will be followed up by Infrabel in collaboration with PoAB. Furthermore, the pricing for shuntingservicesiscontrolledbytherailregulator.

Neutral management does not only lower the treshold, it also encourages cooperation between different companies in order to collect their goods. This eliminates some unnecessary train movements – which is not only safer but also frees up more capacity in the very busy rail yards in the Antwerp port area. So this joint plan checks all the boxes, making freight rail transport in the PoAB safer, faster, more efficient,economicalandenvironmentallyfriendly.

Transparentsoftwaretotrackactivities

In order to further streamline everything, Infrabel and PoAB are working on a high-performance software program. Customers can easily and quickly monitor their requests using this computer system, which is linked to the shunting installation. Users can monitor the status of their freight train and/or wagons in real-time. For example, when it will be ready and where it is located. Each step of the shunting process is recorded in the system and can be accessed at any time. This gives all customers a clear picture. The infrastructure manager, in collaboration with the neutral operator Lineas, will be ultimately responsible for planning, allocating capacity, and finding solutions in the eventofdoublebookings.

Modalshift-Doublingofrailfreighttraffic

The neutral management of the shunting plant is an important part of the sustainable rail vision 2030. This joint vision of the future, developed by Infrabel, PoAB and Railport Antwerp aims to double the proportion of freight transported by rail in the port of Antwerp by 2030. This socalled modal shift seeks to make rail more attractive so that more and more companies choose it. After all, those who transport their goods by rail, opt for fewer trucks and less road congestion. That's a win-win situation for both the economyandtheenvironment.