An IT manager or CIO developing a strategy fine-tuned to their terminal hold many responsibilities, especially in an environment fostering uncertainty. A digital transformation involves an array of tasks that align business goals with the company objectives against the proffered solution.

Many organizations accelerated their digital transformation within weeks or months instead of years as the reactive response to the global crisis. Achieving what would usually deem ‘impossible,’ most could move their existing operations onto a digital platform and perform their daily tasks. Existing processes already digitized and automated grant a faster digital transition, while businesses administering manual practices require a longer implementation timeframe.

The new business model works unbiased, defying difference in size, operations, and business nature. Despite the variants, most of these organizations share common fundamental goals prioritizing cost-optimization, environmental sustainability, and security. A solution that binds all these critical factors must establish a strong knowledge foundation. Understanding the latest technologies, then distinguishing beneficial tech from a fad is vital in the project feasibility and preparing for digital transformations.

The business landscape has taken major strides forward in embracing technology like the cloud, opening up limitless opportunities. At the same time, as digitalization becomes the norm, legacy systems have emerged as the preventative of innovation. Take a look into the strategies to handle these systems.

More application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)

Particularly in this time and age where problems continually evolve, and the difficulty scale to resolve has risen, it is tricky to master these issues entirely on our own accord. Therefore, IT teams and CIOs or CTOs will increasingly embrace AI and ML technology to seek digital assistance, facilitating planning, calculating, and forecasting activities. When equipped with technological intelligence, complex tasks complete faster, reducing the work hours and mitigating errors, which drive both worker and operational efficacy. Therefore, IT infrastructures embedded with AI and ML technology can handle extraordinary tasks that may be challenging to complete when existing supplies, time, and equipment are limited.

Digitalizing business processes and operations builds a platform supporting AI and ML technology. The advantage of a readily digitalized IT infrastructure allows for integrating AI technology in small increments, leaving it up to you to fulfil the whole AI system scope when the business is ready. AI and ML technology appeal and its growing procurement mainly credit its resource optimization and better resource handling. We will witness widespread applications of AI and ML in the maritime and container handling industry.

Automating processes

Digitalization is the first step to accelerating business efficiency as it paves the way for innovative technologies to integrate and exercise their full potential power. On the contrary, most maritime businesses are manual, with paper as their primary source of storing, planning, and distributing information. It is almost impossible to maintain a competitive edge with an aversion to innovation in such a prevalent technological landscape. Just like AI and ML, digitalization will be more widespread as IT managers and executives look to execute their strategy with full automation in hindsight.

Digitalizing the organization constructs an IT system infrastructure ready for process automation which rids mundane and redundant tasks, freeing up time and labor for other higher significance tasks. Automating processes alleviates the number of tasks delegated to staff which also actively attributes operational optimization, decreasing the number of potential errors derived from manual planning. Manual handling of processes and operations can expose businesses to situations that make their systems vulnerable to security. With a population of heavy technological influence and more users connected to the internet, it fosters an environment for online dangers. As a result, it is crucial to digitalize information and automate processes to enforce better visibility and protection which readies the system to fend off any threats in all types of situations. Digitalization is the first step in entering a new business landscape. However, automation as the next step will ensure the foundation of operations and business that bring out the digital transformation’s full scope and power.

Resource and operational optimization

Digitalizing processes and operations allow users to determine the granular details necessary for achieving accuracy and precision in planning. It offers software users the power to access and utilize the information provided instantly at any given time, then calculates optimal results curated to the set parameters. As a result, the number of manual tasks typically spent sorting and filtering through information reduces. Hence, the overall workload decreases, which is naturally timesaving, leading to operational efficiency. Digitalization is essential to furthering business since it serves as the first steppingstone to any technological innovation. Without it, the IT solution will likely be incompatible with the current business structure, inflicting a negative downturn on resources and operations. Therefore, IT teams and executives responsible for port and terminal prospects must know the new software’s architecture and capabilities to distinguish the best-fit for compatibility and best to leverage full power.

In this global crisis, where resources run scarce, IT teams and executives may feel the pressure to develop a foolproof solution that values time and available resources while simultaneously delivering operationally and financially. Therefore, businesses that perform digitalization correctly will enable better time and resource management. These technological capabilities also seep into other business areas like environmental sustainability, whereby all factors contributing to wastage and fuel consumption alleviate to adhere to resource and operational optimization.

Standardization in ports and terminals

The lack of standardization prevalent in IT system infrastructures, processes, operations, and task execution makes it incredibly challenging to improve. Without a clear guideline of a common standard of practice established, most products and innovative technology released in the market will not entirely, if not, at all, be able to integrate seamlessly or efficiently. Due to the manifold of different ways terminals operate equipment and resources, not only are the business objectives unique to each port, but software providers cannot develop a product that can be a standard fit for all. The array of different business objectives will incur high fees to accommodate system customization. Consequently, any new projects adopted will resist cost optimization, defeating the purpose of transforming business for the better.

The global supply chain fell vulnerable to the former year’s crisis, highlighting the grave issues that require reforming. Defining standards facilitates a smooth digital transformation such that all stakeholders in the port and terminal industry have an equal opportunity for business continuity. These goals reflect the growing community’s mission, the Terminal Industry Committee 4.0 (TIC4.0), a joint venture by terminal operators, equipment providers, software providers, and all relevant stakeholders worldwide. Their initiatives strive to promote, define, and adopt a shared industry standard for the Cargo Handling Industry to allow technological advances like digitization. Therefore, a digital transformation will have higher chances of achieving cost and operational optimization when all can practice and institute a common set of standards within their operations and processes.  

Conclusion

A thorough analysis of the product’s technical architecture will reveal its actual capabilities and what it can offer. From there, the IT manager or executive needs to ask questions – will this product drive cost-optimization? Will this facilitate operational and worker efficacy? Will this sustain a secure and safe environment? What current operations or processes require standardization? This criterion will shape a well-formed response, deciding the potential of a product or strategic approach. However, digitalization is the agreed fundamental foundation to integrate other technologies.