Be it port complexes or warehouses, digitalisation and automation is the mantra for efficient operations. The result is of course increased accuracy and speed of transactions, reveals Amit Gupta, Managing Director, Suraj Informatics
- How do your applications improve operational efficiency and safety across port complexes in India? Our solutions focus on optimizing transactions by automatically identifying containers, people and managing truck operations. The result is increased accuracy and velocity of the transactions resulting in higher throughput and improved container inventory accuracy. Few benefits are:
- Increased capacity by using land as efficiently as possible. Truck parking facilities require large pieces of land and tends to be pricy. By keeping trucks on the move in the Gate process, capacity increases.
- Improve productivity through the elimination of data input and/or task confirmations.
- Centralized control over exceptions that occur from the automatic processing of trucks. Exception handling desks can be combined and are equipped with all necessary tools to solve any irregularities in the process.
- Improved “truck-turn-around-times.”
- Safer operations since no clerks are required in Gate lanes or below heavy equipment to check transactions because all data capture of transactions is automatic
- Improved container management system at all the places using wireless networking and mobile devices.
- Tell us about your project consulting services?
The project consulting services are categorised into design, deployment and maintenance. The recent application that we have designed at one of the ports is the crane automation system using RFID technology with Active Tags. In this solution, the readers are installed at cranes/RTGs and the active tags are fitted at the ground level at pre-defined locations. With this solution, the crane movement can be traced and tracked in a real time scenario and can be monitored from the central place.
- What are the key issues and challenges you face?
A major challenge is the coordination between various departments of ports. Sometimes IT department decides to implement a solution but operation people rule out the possibility to install these solution and vice versa. Change management is also an important issue.
- Do the installation costs outweigh port automation benefits in India?
We do not believe that the costs are found to overweigh the port automation benefits. The automation and solutions may help a port increase its market value. The ports may use the benefits of these solutions in their marketing strategies for better business. We always try to communicate the benefits of solutions with the calculation of total cost of ownership.
- How do warehouses benefit from your security solutions?
A warehouse is a fast-moving place where you need one eye on security efforts and the other on the flow of goods into and out of the facility. Everything risk-related needs to be factored in, from theft prevention, access control, surveillance, fire and safety, to disaster recovery, data security and environmental monitoring.
We can provide:
- Inventory management systems using wireless networking, mobile device or using RFID solutions. 2. Access controls to secure certain rooms or areas
- With video surveillance tools, maintain a bird’s eye view of the entire warehouse
- I ntrusion alarms and intrusion detection technologies
- Manage your warehouse from a remote location or manage multiple locations at the same time
