In an effort to help supply stakeholders get real-time capacity information at maritime terminals in Seattle and Tacoma, the Northwest Seaport Alliance and technology platform Advent eModal have launched an online Trucker Appointment Capacity Dashboard, the NWSA announced Nov. 4.
The dashboard helps to alert trucking firms of available container pickup and drop off appointments at port terminals, giving them more room and control to plan out dual transaction appointments, allowing for quicker turn times and lowering the amount of time a truck is idling at the port and how long cargo dwells on the docks.
There are more than 100 warehouses within a 15-mile radius of an NWSA terminal, according to the alliance.
“Like other West Coast terminals, we have faced congestion challenges and sought to find innovative solutions that improve visibility for planning operations and appointment scheduling at the NWSA terminals,” NWSA Co-Chair and Port of Tacoma Commission President Don Meyer said.
“This dashboard,” he continued, “brings transparency and a common platform, allowing trucking companies in the Seattle and Tacoma gateway to plan their trips more efficiently and reduce wait times that drive-up trucking costs and negatively impact our near-port environment.”
The Northwest Seaport Alliance is a marine cargo operating partnership of the ports of Seattle and Tacoma. Combined, the ports are the fourth-largest container gateway in the United States.