U.S. West Coast ports to require electronic ID for trucks

U.S. West Coast ports to require electronic ID for trucks    Major container terminal operators at U.S. West Coast ports have agreed to finance and introduce a system of electronic identification tags for trucks picking up and dropping off cargo.
   The initiative comes under a joint West Coast Marine Terminal Operators discussion agreement filed with the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission. “A schedule will be published where each terminal operator will require the use of a standard electronic truck tagging technology as a condition to enter a terminal,” the terminal operators said in a joint statement.
   The container terminal operators said the electronic ID system will allow for faster verification of required registration and insurance information. It “could lead to reduced congestion on nearby highways by making it less costly for terminal operators to move containerized cargo during off-peak hours,” they said in a joint statement.
      The West Coast terminals described the planned introduction of electronic identification systems for all trucks as “a major step forward in making port operations more secure and reducing the impacts on surrounding communities.”
   The terminal operators have agreed to purchase and pay for installation of equipment required on trucks. An estimated 30,000 trucks operating on the West Coast are expected to be fitted with the new ID devices. The terminal operators anticipate having all necessary equipment installed on trucks and in terminals by March of 2004.
   The members of the West Coast Marine Terminal Operators discussion agreement are: APM Terminals Pacific; California United Terminals, Inc; Eagle Marine Services, Ltd; Husky Terminals, Inc; International Transportation Service, Inc; Long Beach Container Terminal, Inc; Marine Terminals Corp; Metropolitan Stevedore Company; Pasha Stevedoring & Terminals, L.P; SSA Marine; Trans Bay Container Terminal, Inc; Trans Pacific Container Service Corporation, and Yusen Terminals, Inc.
   “This allows us a chance to play a constructive role on finding solutions to truck congestion and a wide variety of pending issues such as night gate hours,” said Jon Hemingway, president and chief executive officer of SSA Marine, referring to the use of radio frequency and other identification technology.
   Hemingway said the technology is currently used at various non-U.S. ports, as well as in warehousing, retail distribution, and automated bridge toll payment systems such as California's FasTrak system. U.S. East Coast and Gulf Coast container terminals are believed not to have introduced truck electronic ID systems, yet.
   Doug Tilden, president and CEO of Oakland-based Marine Terminals Corp., said that transmitting information as soon as trucks pull up to marine terminals by wireless technology would “dramatically reduce” the time required for trucks to pick up and drop off cargo at marine terminals. This in turn would reduce emissions created by idling trucks, he added.
   West Coast marine terminal operators are soliciting proposals from suppliers of ID systems. Electronic truck tagging may use radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags or real-time locating system (RTLS) tags.
   The marine terminal operators said that they are working with five groups on this project: vendors, the U.S. Coast Guard, port and local government offices, trucking companies, and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. The latter cooperates with terminal operators under the    Pacific Maritime Association/ILWU contract's “technology framework.”
   APM Terminals Pacific said the wireless identification technology will increase security within terminals by quickly matching the information provided by truckers with information maintained in databases. The marine terminal operator also believes that the technology will give ports and local governments a tool to manage traffic congestion near West Coast ports.
   Information on the solicitation for technology proposals is posted at    https://www.mtoda.com .