Georgia ports boost gate productivity

Georgia ports boost gate productivity    The Georgia Ports Authority said investments in employees, infrastructure and technology is reaping benefits in increased gate moves and reduced turn times through its container terminals in Savannah.
   Savannah's Garden City terminal handled 79,512 truck interchanges in October, a 20 percent increase over October 2002. The average time for a truck to deliver or receive cargo and process shipping documents through GPA's terminals was reduced 34 percent to 23 minutes during October.
   Over the past year, the port authority has purchased two post-Panamax cranes, six rubber-tired gantry cranes, six top lifts and hired 100 additional employees. GPA has also improved container interchange lanes, including installing automated scales, built precheck pedestals and communication and security systems from the truck lanes to the processing center, as well as building an internal pedestal that serves as a help center for truckers within the terminal, the port authority said.
   The port has also updated technology, with a Java-based Web server that allows port clerks and truckers to exchange information faster than ever. The upgrade is the result of a six-month project between the port authority and software provider Navis LLC of Oakland, Calif.
   'We're talking about an exchange between clerks and truckers once taking 15 seconds now only taking 1 second,' said Doug J. Marchand, executive director.