It’s said that information is gold – an age-old axiom that’s particularly true in the business of moving cargo where the access to timely, accurate information can make or break any business deal.

 

This is particularly true at the Port of Savannah where the challenge of helping shippers remain competitive in the fast-paced global economy is a 24/7 priority, says Bill Sutton, Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) Director of Information Technology.

 

The GPA, he says, “is working hard to meet the goal of providing our customers with the information they need in a real-time format so they can access it at their finger-tips whenever they want it.” 

 

And who are the GPA’s customers? Simply, a trucker or a freight forwarder to as ocean carrier or a cargo consignee – anyone, that is, that plays a role in the movement of cargo through the port.

 

And how is the GPA meeting its customers’ information requirements? By implementing what Sutton calls, “best of breed” technologies to effectively respond to as broad a spectrum of needs as possible.

 

“Our sole purpose,” says Sutton, “is to support the movement of containers, so from an IT perspective, the ever-changing nature of how trade moves is driving us to be a lot more pro-active in how we meet our customers’ information needs.”

 

The GPA’s customer-driven information interface comes under the umbrella of ATAMS, a proprietary Automated Terminal Asset Management System that melds those “best in breed” technologies into a comprehensive package of readily-accessible cargo tracking, tracing and communications solutions.  

 

Wireless technology, optical character recognition, radio frequency identification, and position detection capabilities give the GPA the capability of providing improved terminal productivity, automated “event” reporting, and, most importantly, real-time communication between the GPA and its growing customer base. 

 

Another critical development for the GPA is WebAccess, an on-line web browser that supplies GPA customers with secure, real-time access to live information on the status of their cargo.

 

WebAccess – the first application of its kind at any port in the country – enables any combination of automated e-mail or fax notifications of fully customized information on such critical issues as pre-advise gate access, cargo status, shipment events, vessel schedule changes, container and equipment availability, terminal conditions and cargo documentation. (Visit WebAccess at webaccess.gaports.com.)

 

With full visibility of containers at every step of their movement through the port, GPA c customers can be fully “in the loop” on the status of their cargo all day, every day.

 

Another readily-accessible tool in the GPA’s IT arsenal is its Client Relations Center – a one-stop point of contact for port customers that offers fast, personalized, on-target solutions to cargo coordination, service and issue resolution issues. 

 

The only customer service operation of its kind at any port in the country, the GPA Client Relations Center also offers customer outreach programs to provide either one-on-one or group training on all GPA technical tools including WebAccess and ATAMS and provides proactive problem resolution by interfacing directly with customers.  

 

What makes the difference at the GPA? “A willingness to help our customers on a personal basis,” says Sutton. “Everything we do hinges on serving our customers as best we can.”