Navis survey points to growing importance of remote operations

Being able to conduct port operations remotely has surfaced as one of the key issues for terminal operators in the wake of changing business environments and challenges to business operations posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, a survey conducted by Navis, a Cargotec company, shows.

Navis said that it had surveyed over 165 respondents across the globe and explored the impact terminals are seeing during COVID-19, the top concerns they are facing and how technology is playing a role in the shift to remote operations.

Due to COVID-19, 89% of respondents are seeing a moderate or greater impact on their business, causing the need to adapt their operational strategies to the changing landscape, the survey said.

As terminals are shifting their operations, safety on site (26%) and planning and managing a remote workforce (16%) were cited as their top concerns. The need for remote solutions to continue operations successfully was universally accepted across the board, Navis said.

Due to the need for terminals to support a remote workforce able to coordinate effectively with essential on-site staff, all at an accelerated pace, terminal operators are leveraging technology to make a smoother transition for their operations and employees.

Respondents noted they already had some roles being performed off-site including, vessel (26%), yard (19%), and stowage (16%) planning, but were interested in moving other operations roles virtual. According to the survey, 57% of respondents felt well prepared to handle those rapid shifts in operations.

Automation and digitalization are playing an ever more important role in the shipping industry, especially with regard to container handling, predicting gate volumes, and bolstering efficiency. Furthermore, the industry is making strides in operating vessels remotely and making them smart.

In a survey conducted earlier this year by Navis, 83% of respondents expect to increase their investment in AI technologies within the next three years.

However, with greater reliance on technology, there is a greater need for cybersecurity and reliability of automated processes, as well as always having a backup plan, should systems fail.