1. What is Terminals?

The word ‘Terminal’ is from Latin Terminus, which means the last stop on a bus or train route, where the bus or the train turns round or starts a journey in the opposite direction. In train terms, it means the last stop, in maritime, it means the last port of the route. In modern days, functional concept weighs more than locational one so Terminal is connecting spot from departure to arrival of transportation. Container Terminal, on the other hand, is a contact point between land and sea where containers are loaded and discharged, moved from or to trucks and trains, container stacks, container equipment work, and so on.

2. Necessary condition for Terminals

Terminals should be located at the place that makes the cost lowest for all the parties considering the traffic of goods in and out as well as distance from the other terminals. Specific conditions are as following next.

First of all, Terminal should be located on the wharf and provided with all the handling equipment needed. Beside, safe operation of the ship, berthing, unberthing, and mooring also should be available. Second, Terminal should have enough space, equipment, and organization for physical delivery, storage and customs of cargo. Third, Terminal should not only have capacity and capability to deliver containers quickly and precisely also check on container condition to react on it. Fourth, Terminal should operate systemically each container stage by stage. Fifth, Terminal has no difficulty to access inland transportation such as railroad, or motorway.

 3. Automated System for Terminals

Container shipping industry has trend to go for bigger ships to secure the cost reduction, which derives growth of size of Terminal. To run the bigger size of terminal properly that includes accomplishing all the conditions above, Automated Operating System comes up as the most important condition for Terminals. Terminal automation system also is a key for cost leadership, especially when it comes to recession as it is nowadays. Automated terminal System also is critical to maximize your operating efficiency. How to stack containers at Terminals? How to run the stowage system? Which container goes first and later? Which load in the specific container goes first and where? All of these questions lead down to the one answer System Automation.