Cross-party event on 21 September to debate opportunities and risks of automated and digital technologies for maritime cargo safety, security, efficiency across container, bulk and dangerous goods operations

21.08.2018 – From daily operations to global regulations, new technology is having a profound impact on maritime cargo chain across sea and land. As we head towards the next decade, automation, digitalisation, Internet of Things, cloud platforms and other technologies are starting to significantly reshape cargo handling and operations both on the demand and supply side. Safer, more sustainable and more efficient operations are the potential prize, but for cargo handling professionals and regulators this new reality also poses significant new challenges.

How do we re-skill and equip people to work safely, securely and productively in an increasingly automated and digital world? How do we adapt governance and legislation to the new reality? And how do we deal with an exponential increase in cyber risk that threatens to derail digital advances? Developing new digital competence is key, but hard-won expertise in the tough daily business of safe physical cargo handling, infrastructure management, shipping and land transport operations cannot be neglected or marginalized.

Taking place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, 21 September, Smart Ports & Cargo Chains: Data, Digitalisation & Disruption is the latest in a series of practical one-day seminars from ICHCA International, the global NGO and membership association for cargo handling operations, technical, HSSE and risk professionals. The seminar is run as part of ICHCA and the National Maritime Safety Association of US and Canada (NMSA)’s ‘New Tech, New World Week’ which runs from 18-21 September.

The seminar provides a timely chance to look at the opportunities and risks presented by new technology in the quest for safer, more sustainable and more efficient cargo operations. The seminar is preceded by the 80^th meeting of ITP, ICHCA’s Technical Panel which takes place on Wednesday 19 September, followed by a joint meeting of ICHCA and NMSA’s members on Thursday 20 September and a trip to see the Waterfront Training Centre in action.

Setting the scene, Daniel Negron, Vice President, Through Transport Mutual Services (Americas) for cargo chain insurer the TT Club, will share findings from its recent report on the next 25 years of containerisation, prepared together with McKinsey. “There is an ongoing debate as to whether trade growth or digital, data analytics will drive value creation in the next 25 years and our report lays out six scenarios for the future,” says Mr. Negron. Dr David Williams, Vice President of Policy for the Business Council of British Columbia will present ‘Six Propositions about Digitalisation and the Labour Market’, looking at how policy makers and industry can maximise the productivity gains of technological progress while taking steps to mitigate its intrinsically-skewed distribution of benefits.

Automation and digitalisation in container and bulk ports, and along the cargo chain, will be addressed by several speakers including Dr. Christian Augustin, Head of Sales & Business Development, indurad GmbH; Maggie Richardson, Sales Application Engineer, TMEIC; Stephan Trauth, Vice President Sales, Yardeye; and Peter van Duyn, Maritime Logistics Expert, ICHCA Australia and Centre for Supply Chain and Logistics, Deakin University.

In the afternoon, Colin Laughlan, Former Vice Chair and Acting Chair, United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT) will update delegates on work by the United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT) to create standards for ‘Data Pipelines’, a seamless, integrated structure for the exchange of data in global trade and cargo transport, allowing data that originates at source – including information from ‘smart’ devices – to be collected once and used multiple times. Global standards bodies and regulators will play a critical role in the digital revolution and this will also be discussed during the day.

The seminar will include a special focus on dangerous goods and biosecurity, looking at how to harness new technology and innovative approaches to improve safety and efficiency at sea, in ports and across the cargo chain. Speakers include Erick H.-Saia, Director of Safety & Loss Control, Greenwich Terminals LLC; James Douglas, Director, EXIS Technologies; and Wendy Asbil, National Manager Invasive Alien Species and Domestic Plant Health Programs, Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

“Innovation is always exciting and “New Tech, New World Week” will bring particular excitement to our focus on safety”, said John Crowley, Executive Director of NMSA. “Our industry is changing. We have a great line-up of speakers to explore the smart tech that is driving that change and how we need to work with our people to manage this inevitable transition,” added John Beckett, Vice President, Training, Safety & Recruitment, British Columbia Maritime Employers Association and Chairman of ICHCA International.