The FMC will assess how better use of data can make the containerized supply chain more efficient

The US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), in the intent to decongest American ports that are blocked by anomalous flows of traffic generated by the strong growth in transport demand containerized maritime, can only resort to the only recipe available. This was confirmed by the president of the agency US Federal, Daniel Maffei, announcing the establishment of an FMC team, led by Commissioner Carl Bentzel, who will have the task of evaluating how container traffic data can help to make the national system for the delivery of goods: 'the events of the last year - explained Maffei - they demonstrated the need for the United States to achieve a greater capacity of the our goods delivery system. Sharing information and greater transparency about how the containers are moved - noted the president of the FMC - constitutes a means by which we can move a greater number of containers more efficiently».

The project led by Bentzel involves the implementation of research, interviews, round tables and public meetings for collect information and opinions on maritime data and the subsequent discovery of the common data that is created as part of a sea shipment through the supply chain, how they are stored and shared, and the identification of critical elements. The first public meeting is scheduled for next month in Washington. The first results of the work of the team will be presented next spring at an event on data in the maritime sector.

Illustrating the aims of the project, Bentzel noted that "when you pass through an airport in the United States you know how and where to park your car, how you will be transported to the terminal of the airport, and that when you arrive at the terminal you will be provide information about your gate and information about when your aircraft will depart and land and, during this process that is repeated on landing, staff is available qualified to handle luggage and forward it through the security checks. The maritime industry - noted the FMC Commissioner - does not have a similar system. Datum the immense national economic impact and dependence of our nation from ocean maritime transport, the significant increases in volumes of goods and other operational effects caused by Covid-19, I am absolutely clear about the need to develop a more robust information system for the public of the Shipping. FMC will work with industry to develop greater transparency systems for the services that are around the international intermodal transport of goods. The our port gateways - confirmed Bentzel - are limited by physical constraints and the best options for efficiency are the increased use of information technologies and the coordination between the different modalities within the framework of the supply chain».