Factors Influencing Port Terminal Automation in the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Abstract

Port terminals play an integral role in the transportation logistics chain by providing cargo handling, storage, and warehousing services to a range of shipping lines, freight forwarders, and cargo owners. This chapter reports on a case study aimed at determining the challenges and limitations experienced with the current information and communication technology used in port terminals in Durban and examines how technological, organizational, and environmental factors influence port automation. A quantitative approach was adopted, and a questionnaire was designed to collect data. The findings revealed that adequate technology needs to be acquired, and the compatibility and complexity of the technology have the biggest influence on the automation of terminal ports in Durban. Communication with stakeholders and IT skills retention were found to be the most important organizational factors and customer readiness emerged as an important environmental factor influencing the automation of port terminals in Durban.