Safety is the most important aspect involving terminal operations and a responsibility that falls on every stakeholder.
Port operators, shipping companies, and trucking companies all have a vested interest in adhering to safety practices and ensuring workers are safe while moving cargo through the port.
This dedication to safety and time spent conducting thorough safety inspections can cause unavoidable delays in operations.
Understanding the nature of these delays and how to mitigate them as much as possible is critical for terminal operators to streamline safety inspections and eliminate any potential bottlenecks.
What Are Safety Inspections in Marine Terminals?
Truck and cargo safety inspections help ensure the safe operation of commercial vehicles and the security and safety of cargo entering the country.
Truck inspections are usually general examinations of the entire vehicle. Still, other times, particularly in the case of regulatory bodies’ inspections, they are targeted to specific items like brake systems, tires, or exhaust systems.
Cargo inspections seek to identify and manage the risk of transporting certain goods, especially hazardous materials.
Who Performs Inspections
Truck inspections are primarily performed by any of three entities:
- Regulatory Bodies: In the United States, the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) conduct safety inspections and audits on commercial vehicles. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is responsible for cargo security and examinations at ports of entry.
- Trucking Companies: Trucking companies are primarily responsible for maintaining their fleets. This includes routine inspections and maintenance.
- Ports: Many ports have their own standards for safety and inspections, particularly when it comes to environmental safety standards that require inspections to minimize environmental risks.
Why Marine Terminals Should be Involved in Safety Inspections
Although they aren’t directly responsible for truck safety and maintenance, it’s important for marine terminal operators to understand the process of safety inspections for several reasons:
- Safety: The safe handling of hazardous materials and the safe operation of commercial vehicles minimize risk to employees, cargo, the environment, and efficiency.
- Compliance: Terminals must ensure compliance with all relevant safety regulations to avoid legal liabilities.
- Efficiency: Poorly maintained trucks can break down and cause major congestion and improper handling of cargo and lead to delays and business interruptions.
- Environmental Protection: Failure to protect the environment can lead to long-term consequences, including growing discontent with the surrounding businesses and residents near the port.
- Reputation: Safe handling of cargo and operation of trucks within the terminal will enhance its reputation for reliability among customers and partners.
How Inspections Can Delay Turn Times
Regardless of how well prepared you are for an inspection, there is always a good chance they’ll cause delays or bottlenecks.
Cargo Inspections
The need for the US CBP to inspect suspicious containers or those selected based on risk assessments can introduce delays in the movement of goods through the terminal.
Implementing additional safety programs and standards, such as the Cargo Safety Program developed by the World Shipping Council, involves further screening and inspections to enhance safety standards. These programs provide important protections for the global supply chain but can introduce additional delays in cargo handling at the port.
Truck Safety Inspections
Ports may implement their own safety standards for trucks, especially pertaining to environmental safety precautions.
When improperly planned or prepared for, delays caused by truck safety inspections can have a domino effect on terminal operations, leading to major congestion and inefficiencies.
How to Mitigate Delays
Mitigating delays caused by safety inspections comes down to three factors:
1. Planning and Preparation
Ports should establish clear communication with trucking and shipping lines to ensure all parties are aware of the required safety standards and documentation.
Implement a system for scheduling inspections to avoid unexpected delays.
Encourage pre-arrival processing so that documentation can be submitted in advance, leading to streamlined safety inspections.
2. Execution
Establishing dedicated areas can improve the safety inspection process.
Deploying mobile inspection units can expedite the process, especially for spot checks or when dealing with a high volume of trucks.
Utilizing real-time communication tools to coordinate between inspection teams, terminal operators, and truck drivers can enhance the execution of inspections.
3. Efficiency in Terminal Operations
A terminal that is already efficiently run will be more robust in the face of unexpected delays caused by safety inspections.
Improving efficiency is often a matter of leveraging technology for streamlined planning, detailed analytics, and adaptability can often improve efficiencies.
Focus on improving things like the usage of yard space, the use of smart tools like visualization software, and the use of real-time data to keep cargo moving smoothly through the port at all times.
Improve the Efficiency of Safety Inspections with Tideworks
Safety inspections are always going to be a part of every terminal operation. The more flexible and adaptable your port is to unexpected delays, the more easily you’ll be able to perform adequate safety inspections and continue moving cargo.
Tideworks takes safety seriously and has a suite of software solutions dedicated to streamlining and optimizing your terminal’s operations for exactly this purpose.
To fully explore Tideworks’ suite of software solutions, contact us today.