Simulation tools offer faster ROI on new port terminal technology                                                

At TOC Europe 2022, CM Labs Simulations, the developer of Vortex training simulators, will be showcasing a number of solutions designed to help port terminals obtain faster return on investment (ROI) from the adoption of new cargo handling equipment, processes, and technology. These solutions will be on display at the Rotterdam Ahoy Centre, The Netherlands from 14-16 June.

Booth visitors will experience CM Labs’ Vortex Advantage skills training simulator, networked with an Instructor Operating Station (IOS) that captures and reports on training data. Also on display will be a Remote Operating Station (ROS), a simulation-based solution that prepares terminal personnel for remote STS (ship-to-shore), RMG (rail mounted gantry), and RTG (rubber tyred gantry) crane operations.

“We’re seeing rapid uptake of new technology as port terminals adapt to supply chain variability,” says David Clark, CM Labs’ senior product marketing manager. “And industry experience shows us that a lack of specialised skills is the number one hurdle to successful technology adoption. That’s why tools for skills assessment and development are so critical to quicker ROI.”

The Vortex Advantage is a flexible skills development solution that can run all equipment training packs from CM Labs’ portfolio of quayside (STS, MHC, SPC) and yard-side (ECH, reachstacker, straddle carrier, RTG, and forklift) cargo handling equipment, as well as excavator and mobile crane training packs.

It’s a key solution for providing trainees with skills for standard equipment operations, or prior to the commissioning of new equipment, so operators can ramp up their productivity levels ahead of time. It is also an important strategic resource for terminals that are moving to automation, as this simulator helps maintains operator readiness for manual exception handling, without invoking the risks and operating costs of running real equipment.

All training data captured by the Vortex Advantage is tracked by the IOS, which is a tool that allows terminals to objectively evaluate and benchmark operator skills from any CM Labs simulator. This capability allows port terminals to proactively identify any gaps in specialised skills and to adapt accordingly, in order to ensure maximum readiness for new equipment, processes and technology.

Finally, CM Labs’ simulation-based ROS will allow booth visitors to experience the impact of a training solution that helps experienced operators make the challenging transition to remote stations, by allowing them to develop the new skills required to run equipment without the benefit of the sensory cues that are so crucial for manual equipment operations. This solution is typically deployed by terminals in the context of managing the process changes that come with the shift from manual operations to automation.