Jean-Paul Rodrigue

From Jean-Paul Rodrigue of @AggiesByTheSea: The United States has 6 #automated #container #terminals; 3 on the East Coast (one in New York and 2 in Norfolk) and 3 on the West Coast (all in the LA/LB port complex). ◾ While terminal automation on the West Coast includes horizontal movements (AGVs or Autostrads) and stacking (ASCs), only automated stacking (ASCs) is used on the East Coast. ◾ Automated terminals are significantly larger than the global average (55 ha). This underlines the scale effect of their deployment, particularly in light of limited options for terminal expansion in LA/LB and New York. 2 million TEUs and above of capacity is common. ◾ The northern part of NIT is currently being upgraded to ASCs (from straddle carriers), which will likely double its capacity. ◾There is no apparent commonality in the storage of empties and reefers in an automated terminal. ◾Four terminals keep empties within their automated stacks (VIG, NIT, APMT & LBCT) while two terminals also keep empties in separate non-automated stacks (GTC & TRAP). ◾Four terminals keep their reefers within their automated stacks (NIT, TRAP, APMT & LBCT), one in a hybrid fashion (VIG), and one outside its automated stacks (GTC).