Most people don't realize that ports are not the organizations that move the containers. Large ports in the United States are landlord ports who have tenants who operate the terminals themselves.
If you wonder why automation is important, one only has to look at the stacks of containers that seem like a gigantic Rubik's Cube. When it comes time to load trains or trucks, it takes automation to sort through the complex pile of boxes that dominate a port terminal.
Usually ports have been "hands off" of terminal operators, who are independent businesses. Establishing a reporting requirement and the role of terminals and port security operations will be interesting to watch.
Steve Myers shared the Web link above.
