Integrated logistics at Point Lisas

Trinidad and Tobago

Ashley Taylor, president of the Point Lisas Industrial Port Development Corporation (PLIPDECO), talks to The Energy Year about how the company is using technology to optimise its operations and its latest efforts to reduce emissions at the port. PLIPDECO is engaged in industrial estate management, warehousing and logistics services, and port operations in Point Lisas, Trinidad.

What have been some of PLIPDECO’s key achievements in 2023 and 2024?
We ended 2023 with the completion of a three-year strategic plan and 2024 marked the beginning of a new three-year plan for the period 2024-2026. We hit a record throughput for containerised cargo at the port of 227,000 teu.
We also started a number of key initiatives. One of these is designed to get a better idea, from a stakeholder perspective, of how our brand is perceived by our clients and customers. We hired an external consultant to do a comprehensive brand review whereby we assessed both the port and the industrial estate based on wide-ranging feedback from our customers.
In 2023, we became the first port globally to upgrade to the cloud version of the Navis operating system. Navis represents about 60% of the global market for port operating systems.

How are the results of your brand review being used to develop long-term improvements in the company?
The aim is to take these results and to work with the consultant to see how we need to reposition ourselves in the market to improve the overall perception of the organisation going forward. The ultimate objective is to reposition ourselves to be seen as more than just a port and industrial estate. We plan to position ourselves as a major logistics player, which would include services in addition to the port and industrial estate such as transportation, brokerage and other relevant value-added support.
To that end, we launched an expanded logistics services product by partnering with a number of trucking companies and a Customs brokerage firm. In addition, we brought onboard a Customs clerk and logistics co-ordinator. The idea is to provide our key customers with packaged logistics services beyond the port such as transportation, warehousing and inventory management so they can receive one integrated service rather than having to consult with multiple companies.

How important are this new operating system and other new technologies for developing and enhancing your operations?
We are very technology driven. We have recently completed or commenced implementation of three key technology projects. One of those projects is the upgrade of our port terminal operating system to the cloud version of the Navis system. By doing so, we no longer have to depend on monitoring and maintaining in-house servers. More importantly, having seen the increase in cyber-attacks on companies globally, we value having the system hosted and deployed by an external service provider, which improves the level of protection and reduces the risk of attacks. This is because the external service provider has more controls than we could possibly have on an in-house server.
We are also in the process of implementing an automated gate system. This system integrates with Navis and uses an optical character recognition system and RFID [radio frequency identification] so that when a truck comes to the port, it automatically detects relevant data such as container numbers and truck numbers which can then be used through the Navis system to verify if it is an authorised transaction. Once it is verified, the automatic gates will open to allow entry to or exit from the port.
On completion, this will be the first port in the Caribbean to utilise such a system. It has the potential to revolutionise the way our port does business and to dramatically reduce the truck turnaround time at the port by eliminating the need to have personnel at the gates to facilitate the entry and exit of containerised cargo.
We recently procured an equipment simulator, which we plan to implement this year. It is going to improve how we are able to train operators to use cranes and other yard operating equipment by immersing them in a much safer and much more controlled type of environment – similar to an aircraft simulator. It will allow new operators to be onboarded much faster.

Has PLIPDECO had any active involvement recently in helping to decarbonise the local maritime industry?
Yes, we have. There is a new initiative funded by the European Union and the IMO [International Maritime Organization] called the Maritime Technology Cooperation Centre [MTCC]. There are various MTCC units around the world. The idea behind the MTCC project is to look at ports globally and reduce their respective carbon footprints. The data captured provides a focus for reduction strategies.
We have worked with the Secretariat for the MTCC Caribbean over the past couple of years, agreeing to be a partner port to have assessments done on our carbon footprint. We have an extremely comprehensive and detailed data collection process which looks at all the vessels that would come on an annual basis, the number and types of trucks that come to the facility, the equipment used and their ratings and power consumption.
Having collated data for two years, we are in the process of completing a third year of data input for the model. We will then look at up to five years’ worth of data to point us to the area of the highest emissions thus helping to inform the overall strategies for reduction.

To what extent do you look at how the companies you are partnering with are taking steps of their own to reduce emissions?
In general terms, unless it becomes the law, it will be difficult for us to mandate the trucks that come to our facility to have any particular pollution controls or carbon reduction initiatives. We have not yet made any determination whereby we would collaborate with trucking companies or shipping lines on implementing systems for reduction. However, it is certainly something that we will be looking at once the initial data assessments are complete.
Overall, we want to reduce emissions on a more holistic basis. To give an example, ships are very high emitters of greenhouse gases, and as such, we can consider assessing from the shipping lines how likely it is that they can connect to and use shore-based renewable power while at the port, rather than burning fuel in the engines while docked.

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