It was Marlon Brando who, in the 1954 film On the Waterfront, immortalised and romanticised the tough arm, shoulder and leg work that drives cargo handling.
Yet six decades later, cargo handling is not driven bymuscles but by brains. Or rather, by the technology invented by humans.
It all started around 20 years ago when Thamesport, the container seaport that serves the North Sea, began automating its terminal operations. Other operators followed suit and a few years later, the Port of Rotterdam became the world’s first fully automated terminal.
Automation has transformed cargo handling into an increasingly white-collar job with terminal workers sitting at computers and juggling terminology such as space optimisation and key performance indicators. This year will be particularly important for cargo automation as the take-up is set to increase significantly. For instance, according to World Cargo News, by the end of 2015, the number of container berths using automated technology around the world is expected to double.
Technology has transformed the cargo process across the entire workflow, from handling and customs clearance to unloading and management reporting. Mechanised materials handling, for instance, requires fewer personnel, is safer to operate and allows for greater stowage density and improved inventory control.
Technology has also been adopted by services such as warehousing, with mechanised systems delivering improved performance with minimal staff supervision and more detailed records of stock levels.
With technology, some jobs are rendered irrelevant but new jobs are created
Cargo automation is key to simplifying cargo handling and to have a complete picture of the handling process, from origin to final destination. Technology has also enabled an increase in cargo traffic. Following a programme of automation, in 2011, the six port terminals in Brooklyn, New Jersey and on Staten Island handled more cargo than they had ever handled since they were founded by the Dutch.
Of course, there is always a resistance to change. With the rise of cargo automation, the most common reaction of workers and unions is to fear for their jobs. In an article published in The New York Times on September 28, 2012, journalist Alan Feuer lists a number of jobs rendered obsolete by cargo automation. These include cube workers, who calculated the cubic volume of loose cargo, coopers, who sewed torn sacks and repaired broken pallets, and water boys. However, in most cases, it’s not a matter of workers becoming irrelevant – rather, with technology, some jobs are rendered irrelevant but new jobs are created.
And while ports are becoming busier, it is taking less people to get the job done. In the same article, Feuer writes how in the 1960s, there were more than 35,000 longshoremen on New York’s docks. Nowadays, there are less than 3,500.
Air cargo is also becoming increasingly automated, especially with regards to customs systems. In fact, the International Air Cargo Association is supporting automated and paperless customs systems that allow electronic submission of data. According to the association, automated customs systems enable authorities to be more efficient, improve control standards and gather faster and more complex data. The latter, especially, is key to maintain a high level of continuous improvement.
The future will bring further cargo automation, thus ensuring more sustainable operations, increased safety and improved turnaround and delivery times. There is also an increasing demand for green technology. In 2010, China Merchants Holdings International and the Port of Long Beach reached an agreement to develop greener technologies and practices on both sides of the Pacific. In a few decades, we will also see fully automated cargo ships. It is estimated that by 2035, the world’s sea cargo will be carried by fully automated vessels operating entirely without an onboard human crew. According to MUNIN, a European Union-funded research project, these ships will be safer, more environmentally friendly and cheaper to operate.