A-3. Information Systems

Event-driven data is necessary but not sufficient. Data-related technologies operate “in the trenches” where they produce the critical raw material of the information age: timely, accurate, and complete source data. Those data feed the information systems that manage, manipulate, and display freight-related information. The information systems range from relatively straightforward to quite complex, including sophisticated decision support tools.

Some in industry refer to the data tools as “below the line” and the management systems as “above the line.” The latter are beyond the scope of this paper, but the following paragraphs put them in context to set the stage for considering a hybrid case in the next section.

Freight-related visibility and management systems traditionally were the province of transportation and logistics service providers—carriers, warehousemen, terminal operators, and forwarders. Those operating firms, often augmented by third party logistics providers (3PLs), still run the core information systems.

A new class of firms appeared in the last several years, mostly offering web-native systems and services to provide better visibility and supply chain coordination. An expert in the field estimates there are nearly 50 private vendors in the visibility market, plus a smaller number of publicly traded firms. Their names virtually cover the alphabet, from Apexon, BizGenics, and ClearOrbit to Viewlocity, Vigilance, and WorldChain. The expert, Bruce Richardson of AMR, sees two common characteristics among these firms: “All are developing applications designed to improve visibility of in-transit shipments, supplier inventories, current demand, returns and/or reverse logistics, spare parts, inventory deployed across the supply chain in distribution centers, warehouses, retail shelves, and the like. The other common trait is that the information is shared between two or more trading partners.” [20]

It would be worthwhile to better understand the trends, nuances, and distinctions within this market, but that must be the subject of another paper. One subset or feature of information systems appears particularly relevant to intermodal freight security. It is a hybrid, a “below the line” capability that gathers and manages data related to loading and documenting freight shipments.

Assuring the Integrity of Container Loads

It is almost commonplace in discussions about container security to state that the first step is to assure the integrity of the loading process and the load itself. There are references to secure facilities, controlled access, background checks for staff, and good supply chain practices. However, there is remarkably little attention to the supply chain-related software that might enhance security as well as efficiency.

The focus here is on software and processes used at warehouse and factory loading areas and at container freight stations to plan, manage, and document the container loading process. These tools may be able to build audit trails of each person involved in loading, checking, and sealing conveyances; require positive identification of authorized people for each process and lock-out others; integrate security sensor data; and contain logic to immediately call attention to sensor violations. It is possible that some of these security-related features reside in many load management and documentation applications, but if they do neither the vendors nor the trade press called much attention to it over the past six months.

Horizon Services Group markets two products aimed at the container loading process. (Horizon is a CSX subsidiary that is further developing and marketing proprietary Sea-Land software that was not transferred to Maersk). While neither product is tuned for security applications, they are examples of tools that are capable of such a transition. LOADcaptain develops 3-D loading plans for containers, trailers, railcars, pallets, and air-cargo containers. HAZcaptain checks the hazmat compatibility of up to twenty different pieces of cargo being loaded into the same container. Based on the IMO International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code, HAZcaptain identifies, tracks, and calls attention to potential conflicts.

Another product, also designed for other purposes, has been tailored to provide security options such as audit trails and authorization lockouts. Savi Technology added those features to its Asset Management System (AMS), which was designed to support terminal managers of reusable containers, such as airfreight containers and pallets. AMS can be paired with the Supply Chain Logistics Portal to add transparency for off-site container loading.

20. “The AMR Alert for February 15, 2002,” AMR Research.

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