Adding visibility to the freight process: investments in new technology make tracking, transporting freight more efficient.

• Author: Orr, Vanessa

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As technology continues to advance, so do the opportunities for different businesses, such as those in the freight industry, to use it to their advantage. In many cases, the development of Web-based systems have allowed these companies to provide customers with easier access to services, such as receiving quotes, placing orders and tracking shipments online. Other cutting-edge technology, such as radio frequency identification systems and automatic identification systems, have enabled freight carriers to monitor the location of freight and of fleet vessels in real-time, increasing the accuracy of delivery times and ensuring the safety of company personnel.

KEEPING CREWS AND CARGO SAFE

Approximately three years ago, Foss Maritime, which provides ship assist and tanker escort, bunker and petroleum transportation, and towing, among other services, installed automatic identification systems on all of its tugs. Two years ago, the company also fully integrated its fleet with computer systems so that tug captains could forward information to the company on a real-time basis.

"All of these systems were integrated into our fleet as time and vessels permitted," said Don McElroy, senior vice president, Marine Transportation. "It was quite a significant investment; a good four figures per boat."

With automatic identification technology, the Coast Guard and other vessels can identify Foss' fleet even when they are not visible, due to fog or other unsafe weather conditions.

"Ships can identify each other, as well as exchange information about their speed and course in order to avoid collisions," McElroy said.

"This system also hooks into the Coast Guard's VTS, or vessel tracking system, which can play an important part in a rescue if a vessel is in trouble.

"While this new technology does make our fleet more efficient, our main goal, first and foremost, is to send people home safely at the end of the day, or the end of the voyage."

Outside of Alaska, Foss is also investing in new technologies to make its tugs more versatile. "Back in the 1980s, Foss was a pioneer in tractor-tug technology, which enabled us to provide power in our tugs in any direction to help large ships dock," McElroy said. "In intervening years, the size of ships has grown in terms of length and mass dramatically, and as a result, we're having to move in tighter quarters in certain harbors, such as in Los Angeles and San Francisco.

"We've now gone to the next level, our Dolphin class of tugs, in which we've put more power into the tugs, but reduced the...