GE Transportation updates maritime data portal

GE Transportation has announced new features to its Port Optimizer maritime freight information portal, saying the expanded functionality offers real-time cargo visibility across a multimodal supply chain.

The cloud-based platform is now facilitating data from nine out of the top 11 shipping lines moving containerized cargo through the Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach's combined San Pedro Bay port complex, the company said Tuesday.

GE Transportation, a unit of Wabtec Corp. that was formerly the rail unit of manufacturing leader General Electric Co., said the new features could provide greater transparency forbusinesses from major retailers to bulk shippers and industrial manufacturers that are seeing consistently high cargo volumes. "These latest updates reflect our ongoing efforts to improve and enhance the Port Optimizer based on direct feedback from users across the port community," Laurie Tolson, chief Digital officer for GE Transportation, said in a release.

The company and the port first launched the system with a 2016 pilot project intended to help users securely share maritime shipping data between cargo owners and supply chain operators. That project added additional sites and users in 2018 with a goal of increasing visibility, enhancing real-time decision-making, and optimizing cargo movement.

The latest updates include features to benefit retailers, beneficial cargo owners (BCOs), and trucking companies. With the ability to "flag" high-priority containers, BCOs can now track cargo across the lifecycle of its movement and receive notifications of delays, the company said.

Another added feature is advanced notifications, such as dwell time alerts, that have been added to facilitate faster and more proactive pick-ups. Trucking companies and BCOs can also now automatically input their delivery orders directly into Port Optimizer, replacing previous manual efforts and increasing efficiency of truck turns, GE Transportation said.