Value stream mapping of container flows at seaports

Abstract

Ports are important actors in many supply chains. Up to 90 % of all cargo are transported through sea transport today, and containers are used for transporting the cargo on the vessels (Lighthouse, 2017). Containers play a crucial role with its loading capacity and unification, facilitating the loading and unloading processes. The operations that concerns the containers in container terminals are quite similar for many ports, however other factors such as IT systems and choice of equipment differ and thereby affect the performance of the port. This project was done in collaboration with SSPA Sweden AB and was conducted during the spring of 2017. The purpose of this study was to develop value stream mapping for seaport container terminals and identify eventual inefficiencies through the mapping. Four container terminals were studied and this combination of ports created faceted and deepened understanding of the operations taking place in the terminals. Several similarities and differences could be identified and are discussed. Finally, some suggestions about improvement within the operations in the container terminals were brought up. In the short term, the terminals are generally recommended to assess their need of equipment with better capacity. As a long-term solution, implementing automated container handling and transportation technology is recommended to obtain more standardised work and to eliminate human errors. In addition, better collaboration between involved actors are crucial to obtain better levelled and coordinated flows.