The “P” in TPMTech stands for…? 

By Mike Chapman, Ocean Freight Visibility Growth Director, Windward

Can you believe TPMTech was already a month ago? I really enjoyed my maiden voyage to the event and speaking with current customers and prospects on how visibility is key for their business.  

The organisers wisely kept the number of attendees at a manageable level, ensuring a rather intimate event. Representatives from many different types of organisations were in attendance, including shipping lines, freight forwarders of all sizes, haulage/trucking companies…and of course, port personnel. 

There were a significant number of decision-makers at TPMTech, and whether they were networking over drinks in the reception area, mingling at the nearby Hyatt hotel, or gathering at the surrounding bars and restaurants, ports were a recurring theme in my conversations at the event. I almost started to suspect that the “P” in TPMTech really stands for ports…

A recent article in The Wall Street Journal highlighted a big threat to ports, a reminder of how quickly the maritime side of the supply chain can become seriously disrupted. 

“The war in Ukraine, rising energy prices and supply-chain disruptions during the pandemic have put port authorities on high alert for a rising number of cyberattacks. Ports in cities such Rotterdam in the Netherlands and Antwerp in Belgium, Europe’s two largest ports by cargo volume, are hubs for energy infrastructure and other critical sectors. A cyberattack three weeks before Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 disrupted operations at energy storage and distribution companies and a large terminal operator in Antwerp and other Belgian and Dutch ports.

…

Companies based at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges were hit with ransomware in February 2022 at the same time that cyberattacks disrupted German energy storage companies and firms at Dutch ports. The victims suspended some operations and tankers crowded outside the port of Antwerp-Bruges waiting to unload.” 

Cyberattacks are of course just one type of potential port disruption that can create congestion and change international corridors. With climate events becoming more frequent and severe, the threat of new geopolitical conflicts and resulting sanctions, and a complicated global supply chain that is extremely interdependent, visibility is critical. 

You and your organisation will perform better if you understand the efficiency levels and congestion statuses of the world’s leading container ports, including transit times, efficiency based on call duration by different container vessel sizes, overall pressure based on TEU capacity sailing into the ports, and more. 

Windward Port Insights, our monthly analysis of 40 major ports in five global regions, can help. 

Let’s continue the conversations started at TPMTech. We can of course go beyond ports to discuss the other factors involved in providing accurate ETAs for ocean freight containers. Want to know how Windward’s OFV solution can help you cut costs, while increasing customer satisfaction? 

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