New portal aims to leverage the industry standard eModal Community Portal to enable digitization and improve cargo visibility through a centralized information hub
Advent Intermodal Solutions, provider of the eModal suite of applications that simplify and accelerate the flow of cargo across the landside supply chain, today unveiled the “Portal for Panama” initiative for container terminal operators and their port constituents moving cargo through the Panama Canal zone.
Born of extensive outreach with key terminal operators, shippers, truckers and other stakeholders in the Panama Canal area, the Portal for Panama aims to enable digitization, foster collaboration and improve cargo visibility and velocity in the region by leveraging the proven eModal Community Portal (eCP) port community platform currently in use at major port gateways across the U.S.
This community outreach led to a successful Portal for Panama Summit meeting in Panama City in April 2019. Here, senior leadership from the Panama port and logistics community, including representatives from a majority of the Panama Canal area terminals, the Panama Canal Railway Company (PCRC) and key trucking and logistics providers, came together for the first time to engage in a closed-door session exploring the potential for a shared, independent and secure landside logistics portal.
Today, the Portal for Panama is gaining traction as eModal has completed data integration with Manzanillo International Terminal (MIT) and has started initial testing with Colón Container Terminal (CCT). The primary goal is to create a single, centralized information hub that will integrate with all container terminals in the region to digitize and drive key data and visibility to all port stakeholders.
“We believe a common information portal can help us provide better cargo visibility and ultimately a higher level of service to our customers,” said Stephen Shaffer, President of Colón Container Terminal in Colón, Panama. “Currently there is little collaboration between the various terminals so there are visibility gaps during inter-terminal transfers. By coming together on a shared, secure platform like eModal we can eliminate these gaps and build a stronger, more resilient terminal network that benefits all stakeholders.”
“We’re excited to see the Portal for Panama gaining momentum,” added Allen Thomas, Chief Strategy Officer, Advent Intermodal Solutions. “It can be a challenge to bring competing terminal operators together and to change the mindset from one of competition to collaboration, so it’s great to see progress being made in Panama. We look forward to expanding the platform in the area to further break down the existing information silos and drive improved cargo visibility and velocity across the region.”