The Port of Long Beach and GE Transportation have launched a pilot data-sharing programme to increase visibility, enhance real-time decision-making and optimize cargo movement through the port.

“We experienced record volumes last year, with an 11% increase to 7.54 million twenty-foot equivalent units, making 2017 our busiest year ever,” said Mario Cordero, executive director of the Port of Long Beach. “This partnership with GE is providing an important trial for us as cargo and competition grow. We need new and innovative ways to ensure our customers can move their containers from water to land quickly, reliably and at a cost that makes sense for their business.”

GE Transportation will implement its Port Optimizer solution at the port’s container terminals for a two- to three-month pilot. The cloud-based software will enhance supply chain performance and predictability by delivering real-time data-driven insights through a single portal to stakeholders across the supply chain. It integrates data from across the port and combines machine learning and deep domain expertise to help the supply chain monitor and respond to dynamic conditions, align people and resources, and proactively communicate across functions.

“The pilot brings tremendous opportunity for the San Pedro Bay ports customers and supply chain partners,” said Laurie Tolson, chief digital officer for GE Transportation. “With container volumes on the rise, the world’s ports are moving more cargo than ever, making the need for operations optimization even more critical. A uniform, common user portal, like our Port Optimizer solution, will enable stakeholders to make scheduling, planning and payment decisions prior to cargo arrival, as well as reduce delays during each handoff between nodes in the supply chain.”

Lou Anne Bynum, president of the Long Beach Harbor Commission, said that boosting the efficient movement of cargo through San Pedro Bay is key to accommodating future anticipated cargo growth.

“It was important to us to ensure this pilot involved multiple container terminals, so we can collect the best data to develop this important tool,” she said. “This is an intriguing technology and  we’re interested to see if it can improve our operations.”

GE Transportation has already conducted a pilot with the Port of Los Angeles, where the solution is helping to increase visibility of incoming cargo from two days to two weeks.