Applying Information Technology to Maintenance of Aging Port Infrastructure

Facility maintenance is a major concern facing the United States port industry today. At a time when discussion of the global economy, trade status and the balance of payments dominates the headlines, ports have become strategic economic assets. America's ports serve as the gateway for exports and imports of autos, electronics, machinery, clothing, coffee, cocoa, rubber, oil, minerals, and a thousand other commodities vital to the economics of nations around the world. Recent trends point to a sustained growth in the tonnage of cargo moved through ports worldwide. The demands on the infrastructure of our ports have never been greater. Development of port infrastructure, and the acquisition and operation of the attendant heavy material handling equipment, is a capital-intensive business. Marine terminal facilities may be state owned and run, leased to large terminal management firms, or owned and operated by private industry. Regardless of the form of ownership and operation, all terminal owners and operators face a shortage of capital to underwrite the necessary expansions of new facilities and the proper maintenance and upkeep of existing assets. The problem is compounded by the continued introduction of newer and larger container ships with heretofore unheard of capacities and size. The latest container cargo ships now exceed 7000 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit containers). These ships affect every part of port operations and require that port operators expand, rehabilitate and improve their facilities in order to stay competitive in the world market.