FMC advocates for national port information system as part of Supply Chain Innovation Team findings

The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) report, based on work done by six teams over the past 18 months, includes a recommendation to develop an interoperable nationwide seaport information portal.    The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) is advocating for development of a national port information system to better coordinate cargo movement, one of the key recommendations in a report on the findings of the FMC’s import and export Supply Chain Innovation Teams.
   The report, spearheaded by FMC Commissioner Rebeca Dye and released on Thursday, includes detailed findings of the work done by the teams over the last 18 months.
   The primary conclusion was that the FMC should “engage with U.S. seaports and other supply chain actors, trade associations, academic organizations, and others experts, to promote the commercial development of a National Seaport Information Portal for the collection and dissemination of critical supply chain information.”
   The goal of such a system would be to “change operational behavior of actors in the commercial freight delivery system, providing a boost to the performance of the American freight delivery system.”
   The report cited an ongoing pilot project the Port of Los Angeles is conducting with GE, and Dye, in a letter to her fellow commissioners, said that the FMC’s authority under the Shipping Act of 1984 could “be useful if other ports in the country wish to become part of a this effort.”
   The report also notes the importance of continuing discussion in a fluid environment that is always changing.
   “There is no single solution to the challenge of greater international supply chain performance,” Dye wrote in the letter. “Second, the industry, especially trucking interests, wanted the Federal Maritime Commission to continue its leadership role in facilitating communications among all stakeholders in the international transportation system.”
   Among other recommendations in the report, the FMC is encouraged to:
     • Continue sponsoring working groups “using the small teams approach to address commercial supply chain challenges, especially to support further development of the Export Teams’ recommendation for a premium customer option concerning container availability”;
     • Promote and encourage academic and industry-sponsored commercial supply chain research;
     • Promote and encourage supply chain mapping efforts, especially for U.S. exports;
     • And actively engage with port directors and others on a regular basis to encourage development of commercial solutions to supply system challenges.
   In a section titled “Critical Information, Not Just More Data,” the report advocated for “actor-specific dashboards” within the proposed National Seaport Information Portal. For instance, key data elements tailored for shippers, marine terminal operators, trucking companies and chassis providers.
   Such a portal would be developed, in theory, in such a way that it would be adaptable to the unique characteristics of each U.S. seaport, but with data flows standardized enough to contribute to the goal of a nationwide freight system.
   “Focusing on supply chain visibility at a national level could incentivize standardization of terminology and information,” the report said. “A common, familiar solution to locating and navigating critical information would produce the most downstream value for those who operate in multiple gateways. That being said, regional variation and the diversity of the Nation’s ports could make a truly national portal difficult to implement.”