Automated container terminal: competitive workforce criteria

ABSTRACT

The global ports are struggling with a manpower shortage, particularly in terms of worker competitiveness. One of the options available to port authorities in these kinds of circumstances is the implementation of fully automated container terminals (ACT). Objectively, the researchers wanted to determine the competitive advantages that the workforce possessed within ACT. As target respondents, ten experts were chosen based on their working experience in semi-automated ports, non-automated ports, shipbuilding firms, and the academic sector. Throughput, the number of ship arrivals, and berthing time were among the quantitative parameters that were considered when selecting the target terminals. The findings demonstrated that the workforce operating at automated container terminals produces higher-quality work. To be a part of the ACT workforce, one must adapt theory to practice, think creatively, be adept at problem-solving, have strong cognitive abilities, and be familiar with automated technology. Additionally, automation is associated with financial benefits, one of which was that the entire terminal profit at the automated container ports was greatly boosted. The result showed that an automated container terminal would need to hire highly skilled workers to maintain its current level of productivity.

KEYWORDS:

• Automated container terminal
• competitive workforce
• competitive criteria
• artificial intelligence
• IR4.0

Acknowledgement

An appreciation is given to the ‘Geran Penyelidikan Alumni Kolaboratif MITRANS' for the funding throughout the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Geran Penyelidikan Alumni Kolaboratif MITRANS.

Notes on contributors

Kon Wai Kok

Kon Wai Kok currently holding position of maritime lecturer in Netherland Maritime University College in Johor Bharu, Malaysia. He obtained the Master Degree in Maritime Logistics.

Rudiah Md Hanafiah

Rudiah Md Hanafiah is a senior lecturer in Faculty of Maritime Studies, Universiti of Malaysia Terengganu. In 2017, she obtained a Ph.D. degree in Transport and Logistics from Malaysia Institute of Transport from Universiti Teknologi Mara. Her research interests are on shipping business and maritime operation, maritime supply chain and halal transportation.

Saharuddin Abdul Hamid

Professor DatoSaharuddin Abdul Hamid completed his M.Sc with a Japanese MOMBUSHO Scholarship at Tokyo University of Fisheries in 1985 and Ph.D with the Commonwealth Scholarship at University of Wales, Cardiff, UK in the field of Maritime Policy and Resource Management in 1996. In June 2006, he successfully set up the Faculty of Maritime Studies and Marine Science and was appointed as the founding Dean. His research interest is in the field of maritime developmental policy, marine environmental and resource management. He has supervised many undergraduates and postgraduate students and is presently supervising 10 postgraduates (PhDs and Masters). To date, he has attended about 70 conferences and workshops at international and national level as a speaker and resource person and has published more than 100 over academic articles. He is an Editorial Board member and panel reviewer in local journals such as IKMAL Maritime Journal, the International Journal of Sustainability Science and Management and recently the International E-Navigation and Maritime Economic Journal. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (FIMarEST), a Member of Malaysian Maritim.

Associate Professor Ts. Dr. S. Sarifah Radiah Shariff is the Head of Postgraduates Studies in UiTM Shah Alam, Malaysia. She holds a Ph.D. in Operation Research. Her research interests include Operations Research, Supply Chain and Logistics Modelling, and Meta Heuristics.

Noorul Shaiful Fitri Abdul Rahman

Dr. Noorul Shaiful Fitri Abdul Rahman is currently a senior lecturer at Faculty of Business, Higher Colleges of Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. His research interests include maritime business, steaming speed of the maritime transportation, maritime safety and security, decision making techniques, shipping economics and finance, uncertainty treatment and modelling research in the maritime sector.