Ports digitization: Application of digital twins in the maritime industry

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The maritime industry has always been a sector considered traditional, however, new digital technologies open an opportunity for the modernization of the port sector that increasingly faces greater challenges in terms of resource management, infrastructure, management of meteorological events, and even changes in consumer habits.

 

To provide greater reliability in the services offered and to deal with any disagreement that could threaten to paralyze the sector, many ports worldwide have chosen to join the era of digitalization, investing a large part of their budgets in technological tools that allow them not only to streamline their processes. But rather to create smart ports that provide more and better services at each step of their logistics chain.

 

The creation of digital twins in the port context allows, among many other things, to generate impact study models in any area of the logistics chain or the community and thus predict the best alternatives for the development of a specific niche or new services. All this digitally tested in different scenarios and without real risks, which facilitates decision making, cost reduction and especially implementation times.

 

Nowadays, digital twins are one of the most used technologies in almost all sectors, due to their analysis potential to improve the behavior of systems, processes, services, and simulations of any type of assets of any company. 

 

The crisis generated by the Covid-19 pandemic helped accelerate the implementation of this type of information technologies since they ensure the permanence of companies in the market, but above all, because many sectors evidenced the importance of data analysis, remote monitoring of activities, and prediction of future scenarios.

 

Most of the implementations of digital twins are based on Big Data and are combined with artificial intelligence methods since it enables the dynamic and updated representation in real time of a real and/or physical system, but being itself a controlled and safe environment for experimentation, which allows to detect failures, plan maintenance tasks, avoid delays or unexpected stops and best of all is that you can build and test new scenarios, more efficient and agile; without risking new investments.

 

The implementation of a digital twin in the port sector, not only allows a significant improvement in the decision-making of shipping companies, port operators, and other ecosystem players but also facilitates the creation of regulations that encourage the integration of transport supply chain operations and collaborative work.

 

Having a digital twin model in the maritime sector influences 3 main areas such as fleet, port, and terminal optimization. Ecosystem stakeholder analysis and end-to-end supply chain optimization.

 

Digital transformation brings with it a disruption of business strategies, plans for a cultural change, how things are done, and how the new processes will be to compete in a new digital environment, which leads us to understand that we are facing the technological revolution of the maritime industry.

 

The use of biometrics in the aeronautical sector

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The future is already here and thanks to the technological advances we are living today, we can use biometrics as a control and access system. Analyzing our facial features or body measurements that make each person a unique human being with specific characteristics.

But what does this process consist of? 

To identify a subject, all that is needed is to compare an incoming image with an image in the database. However, in the aeronautical field, this is a process that must be carried out in real-time and supported by software and a database that provides sufficient security to airport facilities.

 

For this reason, airports that have already implemented technologies like this support it with government databases that support their security personnel while streamlining their passenger check-in processes.

 

Using a passenger access control system with biometrics brings many advantages to the aviation industry, such as speeding up the entry process, making it faster and more efficient, and reducing the probability of identity fraud, since the system will identify the passenger’s features by comparing them with certified databases. 

 

Software without human manipulation, this type of technology and devices used to provide access cannot be manipulated, so the information handled here is secure and reliable. And last but not least hygiene, as the type of devices used for biometric identification or facial recognition, does not require any kind of contact, so it is ideal in these times of pandemic.

 

According to Annet Steenbergen, chair of the passenger facilitation working group at IATA, “The use of the human body as an authentication system will be the salvation to speed up the movement of people in air terminals”. Especially when it is expected that by 2037, more than 8 million passengers will be using airplanes for their transfers, more than twice as many as today.

 

Identification solutions using biometrics or facial recognition not only eliminate manual processes, offer a more satisfactory service for passengers, and reduce their waiting times at the airport but also help airlines and air terminals to comply with government and border agency regulations.

 

So far, the main use of facial recognition technology has been in the check-in areas of airports. However, within the same air terminals, it can also be used to provide privileged access to VIP lounges for frequent travelers, access to restricted areas for airport workers, or to offer specific premium services for those passengers who wish to pay for a more pleasant trip. 

 

At the moment, the implementation of facial recognition in the aviation industry is in its early stages, but we are sure that it will revolutionize the sector and replace many processes that are not so friendly so far.

 

Technological development in seaports

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The growth of seaports is imminent, every day ports face new challenges that invite them to reinforce their infrastructures and look for new mechanisms and innovate old systems. 

With the consolidation of maritime trade, new transport routes have been opened, an increased number of containers, and new ports that require the optimization of processes amid an ecosystem full of competencies that seeks to minimize human error and sustainability over time.

With this, it is expected that in the medium term, seaports will have to implement certain automation to maintain their sustainability, effectiveness, and efficiency over time. 

Likewise, several of the components of the port sector are already working to implement the automation of maritime containers, autonomous ships, intelligent port warehouses, and more. These are just some of the technological innovations that are expected in the coming years.

Now, all the challenges are positive, and the demand for automation in the processes will help to generate greater safety and efficiency within each of the processes. This involves not only an investment in structure but also in intelligent resources, training and cybersecurity software to safeguard data. 

Less paper and more digitalization 

The changes at the port level will be progressive and adapted to the needs of each seaport. However, the administrative part also deserves digitization to boost the development of a port and thus ensure the optimization of each of the maritime operations. 

That is why, GP Nauticals has developed NAUTIC AIMS, designed to unify maritime and land operations, in a software that manages port revenues, through technologies that allow to collect and analyze information that will also help to measure the performance of ports. 

This SUITE product can also be integrated with PAY AIMS, the software that allows you to manage the payment and collection of invoices through innovative systems that adapt to the needs of each organization. 

 

If you want to keep reading about the latest developments in automation in the port and aeronautical sector, keep browsing our blog. 

 

Logistics in times of expansion

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The growth and expansion of the different sectors around the world, are currently influenced by the economic ecosystem we are going through.

For some months, economic instability has been involved in the potential development of the different commercial sectors, which has generated other ways of recovery, to be able to weigh the imbalance left by the pandemic. 

One of the sectors that have had to look for other alternatives is the logistics systems, where both the shipping and aeronautical sectors are involved. 

Logistics operations globally are seeking to consolidate their bases to prevent events that may present themselves from generating crises within the transportation channels. 

That is why many not only seek to trade with new routes, they are looking to supply their distribution chains to overcome setbacks. New alliances are also essential to boost logistics operations. 

In an environment full of competition, the development of new technologies is necessary to make business meetings and achieve the necessary objectives to maintain quality standards in the development of aeronautical and maritime concessionaires. 

Technologies for the development of new opportunities…

Behind the logistics operations in seaports and airports, many processes must be followed for the functioning of the infrastructure. 

In this sense, one of the most important roles is the invoicing process. Manual logistics has become a tedious process, and in the middle of the technological universe, immediacy is vital to meet administrative commitments. 

Consequently, GP Nauticals and the SUITE AIMS were born, which offers an efficient solution for the collection processes, in the maritime and aeronautical sectors. 

This SUITE consists of several technological software that are integrated to obtain immediate results and that allows managing safely and simply, the payments of concessions and invoices that are generated within the maritime and aeronautical environment. 

PAY AIMS is one of our main collection software with which you can review your invoices and integrate different payment methods to manage them immediately. This way, you will be able to meet your requirements and optimize waiting times. 

 

Want to learn more about SUITE AIMS? Just go to our products section.

Data processing in airport environments

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All airport facilities handle a vast amount of data and countless variables that become a daily challenge for the management and optimization of resources, allowing them to continuously improve their services and find new market niches that would otherwise take years to discover.

 

The use of innovative technologies supported by big data has helped these huge facilities such as airports not only to understand passenger behavior. Also to compile and evaluate data in real-time that would otherwise take months or even years to obtain results or get a pattern.

 

This type of software is enriched by passenger information as well as data from flights, airlines, schedules, suppliers, and all those entities directly or indirectly involved in port functions. 

 

The analysis of these data allows us to determine which are the areas with the highest traffic and, from there, to make more resources available or redirect passenger traffic to other points of interest to get the most out of the facilities.

 

On the other hand, there is a large amount of information that must be processed in this type of facility, which is not explicit and is an essential part of airport management, such as billing, concessionaires, contracting, and suppliers.

 

With the automation and management of big data in this area, manual work is greatly facilitated, minimizing transcription errors and generating real-time reports that considerably shorten decision making, as well as reducing return times and increasing profits.

 

For this, it is important to think about implementing specialized tools that cover in detail each area of the port and also have support in the cloud, as well as a friendly platform that is easy to use for each user. In this way, there will be a simple technology transfer that employees and users in general, make the most of this software.

 

One of the companies that specialize in the development and implementation of this type of solution for the airport sector is the American company GP Nauticals. With its Suite of products AIMS, seeks to maximize the aviation industry by leveraging on technological tools easily accessible, with minimal investment amounts and that can pay off in a short term.

 

If you want to learn more about their software you can visit their website www.gpnauticals.com or contact a specialist.

 

NAUTIC AIMS port management software

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For some years now, the maritime sector has been growing by leaps and bounds. Maritime transport has become the international transport channel, with great affluence on the main commercial routes. 

From the container crisis to shipping delays worldwide, these are some of the determining factors that major ports have taken to expand and improve their infrastructure, physical and administrative. 

Now, what is behind the management of a port? Undoubtedly, it goes beyond transporting shipments. Efficient development relies on good logistics and compliance with permits and safety regulations. 

In addition, management is not only about the sea lanes. Also about non-maritime operations to ensure an effective supply chain and to be able to meet the stipulated delivery times. 

This has undoubtedly become a major challenge for the port sector. Technological tools and specialized software have been developed to address these needs. 

The reality is that traditional paper is now a thing of the past. From now on, worldwide management and administration are carried out automatically. 

Thanks to this, GP Nauticals was born, a technological organization dedicated to the development of specialized software for the aeronautical and port sector. 

The purpose is to manage in an automated way the port revenues and to attend to the maritime and land operations. 

NAUTIC AIMS, part of SUITE AIMS

Its name speaks for itself, NAUTIC AIMS is software created to manage maritime and non-maritime operations. This, in turn, is part of the SUITE family of GP Nauticals. 

Its main function is to centralize the port administration, providing sophisticated software with which you can manage the main functionalities of a seaport. 

In this sense, collecting, managing, and processing data from cargo operations, maritime tourism, and shore operations, are part of the work of NAUTIC AIMS. Also, can be integrated with PAY AIMS, to manage billing and financial administration. 

Another advantage of NAUTIC AIMS software is that thanks to data collection, it is possible to perform an analysis of the port’s performance. 

 

If you want to know more about NAUTIC AIMS, just click here.

 

The maritime sector and digitalization

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Globally, we can already see how everything has returned to normal. There are airports and flights where the mask is no longer necessary. With this we can rescue the idea that the pandemic revolutionized the world, and technological field. 

That’s right, technology was transformed and administrative systems at all levels are now digitally managed. Many are adjusted to the needs of each organization, and although administrative software is not new, it is now more popular. 

Now, at GP Nauticals, we always talk about the advantages of automated processes at the aeronautical level, but our SUITE also adapts to maritime administration. That’s right, believe it or not, the maritime sector requires a great effort to modernize its processes. 

However, little by little, ports around the world are taking into account automated processes for logistics and administration, because human error is minimized, and delivery, waiting, and permitting times are optimized. In addition, integration is much simpler and there is less paperwork. 

Speaking of the above, the Port Services Administration-Bolivia is an example of a port that is committed to automating its processes with the Port of Arica. They now have a new management system module to consolidate line planning, full container loading and much more. 

What is the advantage of an automated process?

First of all, it allows unifying financial administration and maritime facilities. In this way, everyone involved in the processes can be aware of what is going on. 

It allows for better control of invoicing, permits, and more. Thanks to reports and analytics you can measure the port’s performance and the management performance. 

Minimizes human error, undoubtedly we have all had that vital document get lost or take a long time to print or simply have to be done again. With a digital process, the document reaches the right person at the right time. 

These are just some of the advantages of automating administrative processes and with GP Nauticals and our NAUTIC AIMS product, you will be able to manage and process data from maritime cargo, tourist, and shore operations. NAUTIC AIMS can be integrated with PAY AIMS to manage collections and invoicing. 

 

If you want to know more about NAUTIC AIMS, just click here.

Automatic processes and Artificial Intelligence

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Nowadays, talking about Artificial Intelligence is more common than it seems. However, for many, implementing the use of Artificial Intelligence can be a challenge. 

Indeed, the use of Artificial Intelligence today is imminent. The process of automation and the new era of industrialization does not seem to stop, and the facts speak for themselves. 

For example, the airport sector makes use of artificial intelligence in aircraft, thanks to various systems that allow increasing the level of flight safety thanks to the management of an artificial vision. 

Another example of the use of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence is Check-in processes or systems to avoid long lines and crowds. Bots that answer messages are another of the many examples seen today in large airports worldwide.  

Artificial Intelligence to avoid large processes 

At the logistics level, artificial intelligence is a convenient ally for data collection, management, and security of the information provided. 

Despite the above, the application and uses of Big Data in the logistics field are still a bit precarious, because many fear the ‘security’ that the technology can provide. In addition to the high costs, new departments, and levels of difficulty that could come along the way. 

Another of the great fears about the implementation of Artificial Intelligence is based on the fact that the technology could completely supplant human capital. However, this is not feasible, since human capital is needed to help manage and optimize the various technological fields and resources. 

Undoubtedly, the implementation of artificial intelligence in the logistics field will be effective in simplifying and mitigating errors. It allows us to reduce cumbersome processes and bring them to automation, allowing us to optimize time and costs. 

A good strategy will be profitable and effective to improve processes at all levels. In the case of our SUITE, automated software allows us to carry out strategies to take a step forward to the imminent digitization that everyone talks about, but does not know how to implement. 

GP NAUTICALS and automated processes

In the case of GP NAUTICALS SUITE products, they are able to automatically manage the collection and invoicing processes at airports and seaports. Thanks to the PAY AIMS product, which manages to adapt to the company’s standards and requirements. 

In addition, thanks to AERO AIMS, airport logistics processes such as boarding gates, permits, flights, and more, will benefit from the optimization of processes. With AERO AIMS you will be able to obtain an analysis of the airport’s administrative operation. 

At the same time, it is worth mentioning that the AIMS SUITE products are integrated to achieve better control strategies and manageability of operations. 

Maritime logistics faces new challenges

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At a time of revaluation and resurgence of companies, the maritime sector in the process of expansion, could also suffer a new scenario. That, undoubtedly, becomes a short to medium-term challenge for ports and shipping lanes. 

According to a report by Sea-Intelligence, it is expected that once the distribution chains are normalized, a new wave of congestion will be generated due to the number of empty containers. 

During the pandemic, new containers had to be used due to delays in supply chains worldwide. 

Now that everything’s back to normal, maritime logistics will be faced with a large number of unused containers. 

The bulletin notes that there will be at least “the presence of 3.5 million TEUs of empty containers in the transpacific alone.” 

Another place that will affect the logistics line will be the United States and Europe. Therefore, both terminals and warehouses will have to consider new strategies to avoid a new wave of congestion. 

Strategic planning and logistics… 

Supply chains are expected to normalize between mid-2022 and 2023. So leasing, shipping, and seaport companies will need to take the necessary measures to avoid havoc. 

Likewise, GP Nauticals within its SUITE offers automated services for administrative processes, not only for the aeronautical sector but also for the maritime sector. 

Such is the case of PAY AIMS, a service that allows managing invoicing processes, supply chains, and more, which allows centralizing the work and handling it more efficiently and anywhere in the world. 

It also allows the port to collect payments from shipping companies and administrative processes, leaving aside manual and tedious work. PAY AIMS can be integrated with other SUITE services, such as NAUTIC AIMS, to provide more optimal work. 

 

Advantages of having a good Port Community System

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Most port communities are made up of multiple stakeholders, both public and private, which makes it difficult for IT to penetrate, as each institution approaches its logistics differently and resistance to change makes it an industry very fragmented.

For this reason, today we will talk about the advantages of having a good Port Community System.

  1. A good Port Community System (PSC) allows the simplification, standardization, and acceleration of the exchange of information between all the participants in the logistics chain (PCL). This results in greater efficiency in the processes and interaction between PCLs since it facilitates how all port processes are authorized, controlled, supervised, and verified.
  2. Greater processing speed for a large volume of information. We already know that every port terminal handles large amounts of data, whether it is a cargo or passenger port. Data processing and a good Port Community System are important since they facilitate real-time analysis of information. Which allows optimization of decision-making, as well as saving time and money, which favor logistics and transport chains.
  3. PCS must offer an open and neutral electronic platform that allows a secure exchange of information between the parties involved. In addition, to facilitate the automation of logistics processes. Minimize the human error of transcribing information over and over again and reduce the use of paper by having everything digitized on a single platform.
  4. Another advantage of a Port Community System is cooperation for innovation. Carrying out innovations individually does not guarantee their success. The idea is to create a joint strategy as a large virtual company and bet on innovations that influence each member of the logistics chain; In this way, the economic impact of innovation is reduced and more processes are covered.
  5. One of the most important advantages that the implementation of a good Port Community System represents is that it can be integrated with the systems that are currently used, which helps to work on resistance to change by not having to jump from one system old-fashioned to an innovative one from one day to the next.

PCS can help to address the major deficiencies that the port sector is currently showing, such as the AIMS Suite software belonging to the GP Nauticals company, which offers various platforms for the automation of air, maritime, port, and land that benefit a large number of agents in their processes without the need to make million-dollar investments.

If you want to know more details about this specialized software, you can enter the products section of our website (https://gpnauticals.com/products/), where you will find more information and contact a specialist who can answer any questions that may arise.