[IEEE 2007 10th International Conference on Computer and Information Technology (ICCIT 2007) -...

An inter organization communication architecture

model for real time activity base online

transmission to increase the work process

efficiency of container terminalMobashwer Ahmed Chowdhury*, Mohsena Chowdhury

†, Arif Ahmed Chowdhury+and Dr. Shahida Rafique1

* Department of CS, Institute of Science & Technology, Dhaka, Bangladesh, e-mail: [email protected]† Department of ETE, North South University, Dhaka, Bangladesh, e-mail: [email protected]

+MAMTech Limited, Dhaka, Bangladesh, e-mail: [email protected]

1 Department of Applied Physics and Electronics, Dhaka University, Dhaka, Bangladesh, e-mail:

[email protected]

Abstract— The purpose of this research is to analyze the

impact of instituting automated container yard management

on the operation of a prototype EBILCY. This paper studies

a total yard operation inflow and outflow of containers and

cargos where different stakeholders depend on the

operation of off-dock terminal. The primary challenge is to

efficiently operate the operations and acquire the real-time

data to minimize the operation lag due to information

passing delay. In particular, to automate the every process,

an online activity base strategy is used. This strategy groups

jointly co-operate with OLAP and data mining process to

reduce the manual work. An approach has been introduced

to automate the all operational activity of off-dock as well as

container terminal in real time basis. The methodology is

approaching a cost-effective and authenticated

communication through different stake holders of container

terminal i.e. Main Line Operator (MLO), Freight

Forwarder, C&F Agents, Shipper, Consignee etc. The model

is solved using message passing strategy. Due to required

interaction and multiple hub access issues a standard

structure is introduced with details specification. The

communication architecture has implemented through the

authenticated portable database tool, Extended Markup

Language (XML). To establish the easy communication

through the end point, email client is introduced. For

ensuring the information security MD5 encryption method

has also used. This approach helps to atomize the full

industry segment to work in one umbrella. The standard

message structure ensures data validity among the

stakeholders. This approach also can be used to

communicate within different application where this

approach would be work as a communication agent.

Keywords: Data mining, Communication Architecture,Container Terminal, Off-Dock, Automation, OLAP

I. INTRODUCTION

The Off-Docks are responsible for physical handling ofcargo and containers on behalf of MLO(s). Off-Docks

communicate the details of the cargo and containers

handled to different “Main Line Operator” desks via

telephone, email, fax, Excel Sheets as attachments etc.

Different MLO(s) desks send load plans and other

handling instructions via similar way of above mentioned

communication channels.

Use of this non-standard, unstructured and manual work

intensive communication channels are causing various

operational delays, services failures and communications

gaps in the Off-Dock related physical operationalactivities. The present system lacks real time visibility of

Off-Dock activity and status. Also, this is unable to

generate required Off-Dock related reports and statistics,

due to the absence of an integrated software solution

covering all the aspects of physical operational activities

in the Off-Docks.

As a whole the objective of this study and research was to assess the impacts of implementing the activity driven live system to increase the visibility of off-dock containeryard operations and the service quality. Another basictarget was to reduce the process complexity on differentoperation of port and respective work delay. Asimportance factor off-dock is a most crucial place wheredifferent stakeholders are directly related to its operations. Main Line Operator (MLO) always communicates withoff-dock for container movement (IN or OUT) purpose,Freight Forwarder concerns about cargo handling, C&Fagent concern about Import Containers for unloading.Alternatively Shipper and Consignee are always dragging their desires for quick Shipment. So visibility andtimeliness is very much necessary to satisfy all of theparty.

II. PROBLEM CONTEX

The identified problems are as follows:-

? Long truck queue at Off-Docks & relatedcomplains of the vendors.

? Reducing truck turnaround time and monitoring

the performance of Off-Docks in this regard.

? Absence of real-time visibility of the activities at

the Off-Docks.

? Daily Off-Dock CFS activity reports received

next morning. Creating up to 3 days delay in

cargo turnaround time & related information

cycle.

? Inability of Off-Docks to check the Booking

Confirmation Information directly from the

1-4244-1551-9/07/$25.00 ©2007 IEEE.

MLO(s) Global systems e.g. M*Power, MODS,

GCSS.

? Manual reentering of the same CFS activity data

by MLO(s) Client Coordinators.

III. IDEOLOGY DEVELOPMENT

A. Ideology for Activity Base Shipping and Off-DockOperation Management

Offdock is online through networking of gate,

warehouse, yards. Vendors are given access via password

and userid to view details only of their own shipment.

Data available in this system will be visible to

FORWARDER and OPS staff. Local software to be

developed to handle information input by offdocks and

will be capable to interface M*Power/MODS and

software used by OCL. OCL staff has limited access only

on need to update basis.

1. Vendors come to offdock gate with FORWARDERbooking number. Booking confirmation is entered in PC

at gate. M*Power, GCSS or MODS will show if the

booking number has been confirmed by

FORWARDER/ML and show details of last delivery date

etc. Affirmatively, gate staff enters truck numbers and

time of entry will be captured automatically.

2. When the cargo is received at warehouse, same is

entered by OCL staff at the warehouse desks with time

captured automatically. Truck release time then is visible.

Shippers' complains regarding truck delays can be

handled with actual timings. As well, we have a measureof how much time it takes to release trucks. This could be

a KPI.

3. FORWARDER client holders know what cargo is at

warehouse at any given time. Load plans can be given

instantly based on cargo receipt, instead of waiting for

next morning or getting calls from CGPLOGOPS. This

will reduce cargo dwell time.

4. Once cargo is stuffed, details are entered by OCL staff

at the warehouse desks

along with container/seal number. FORWARDER client

holders do not wait for next morning's report to find out stuffing details, instead same is visible instantly.

5. Gate-out moves for laden containers are entered at gate

with gate-out time

captured automatically. Same is visible to MLO(s) staff.

Interfacing same information to PCs in our port office

will alert ML staff of container arrival at port gate. This is

an important security aspect.

Idea is to have 24 hour visibility of activities at the

offdocks, enabling client holders to communicate with

vendors, get load plans as soon as cargo is received and

container moves are tracked at real time.

B. Recommended Objectives

After analyzing the relevant issues & discussion, the

attendees of meeting have agreed upon the followingrecommendations and next course of action for taking

this initiative forward.

Identified the following five specific objectives

combining inputs from BANOPSMNG and attendees of

the meetingTABLE 1:

SUMMERY OF OBJECTIVES & IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

No Objective Implementation Responsibility

Obj#1

Reduce ‘Truck

Turnaround’ time,

Provide visibility.

Off-Dock IT (OCL / ESACK)

with assistance from

MAMOLODCY

Obj#2

Reduce Cargo

Turnaround Time,

Create Instant Visibility

MAMOLODCY with

assistance from Off-Dock IT

(OCL/ESACK)

Obj#3

Provide 24 hours

Visibility of Off Dock

Activities.

MAMOLODCY

Obj#4

Reduce Manual work

of ML & Forwarder

Client Coordinators

MAMOLODCY

Obj#5

Data Validation at Off-

Dock & ReducingCGPLOGDOC Manual

Re-Entry

MAMOLODCY, Off-Dock IT

(OCL/ESACK) withassistance from GLBEDI

(Objectives are detailed in the next section)

IV. SOLUTION METHODOLOGY

There is a resolution of proposed architectural for getting

off-dock activities of real time visibility. The detailed

description of objectives & proposed implementation plans

are describe below:

A. Objective 1: Reduce ‘Truck Turnaround’ time,Provide visibility.

a) Visibility to Vendors about Truck arrival &

Release at Off-Dock.

b) Visibility to Vendors cargo and shipping

documents handover to Off-Dock.

c) Monitoring Possible Relevant KPI agreed

with Off-Dock.

B. Objective 2: Reduce Cargo Turnaround Time,

Create Instant Visibility

a) Instant Visibility to MLO & FORWARDER

Client Coordinators of Cargo Receiving &Stuffing at Off-Dock, instead of present system

of previous day’s activity report received next

morning.

b) Exchange of Load Plans, Cargo Receiving

Data, Cargo Stuffing Data, Container Gate-Out

Data in a standardized process between MLO(s)

& Off-Dock.

C. Objective 3: Provide 24 hours Visibility of Off-DockActivity

a). Provide real-time visibility to Forwarder Ops,

ML Ops, ML Capacity & MLO(s) Management

Off-Dock activities.

b). Provide report generation facility on Off-Dock

activity & performance.

D. Objective 4: Reduce Manual work of MLO & Forwarder Client Coordinators

a) Possible auto generation of ‘Suggested Load

Plans’ for Forwarder and MLO Client

coordinators taking into account MLO(s)

Guidelines, Client SOP, User Preference etc.

b) Possible auto generation of ‘Suggested

Shipment/Loading Advice’ for Forwarder and

MLO Client Coordinators taking into account

MLO(s) Guidelines, Client SOP etc.

E. Objective 5: Data Validation at Off-Dock & Reducing CGPLOGDOC Manual Re-Entry

a) Real-time cross checking of Booking

Confirmation with MODS, GCSSfrom Off-

Dock gate.

b) EDI interfacing of Off-Dock Systems with

MODS, GCSS, RKEM etc. for electronic

update of Cargo Receiving, Stuffing &

Equipment Gate – IN/OUT.

F. Cargo Flowchart

G. Equipment Flowchart

V. IMPLEMENTAION STRATEGY

Communication architecture standardization is a crying

need for implementing the activity base information flow

control. The following rule and structured are proposed

for Message Standardization

A. Message Structure

1. A record sequence ID will be added in each

row to determine the latest record, which will

also be added in each message.

2. Off-dock will send three new Date Time in

cargo receiving and stuffing messages with 3

existing Date. i.e.

a. Document receive date and time (the

actual (activity) data entry date & time

when a document received)b. Cargo receive date and time (the actual

(activity) data entry date & time when a

cargo received)

c. Stuffing date and time (the actual

(activity) data entry date & time when a

cargo stuffed)

d. Document receiving date (The manual

input date)

e. Cargo receiving date (The manual input

date)

f. Stuffing date (The manual input date)

3. Every message should have Sender ID andReceiver ID. For example: MLO,

FORWARDER, ESACK, OCL, ESACK.

4. The message body will be encrypted by MD5

encryption method except the 1st line of the

body.

5. Message acknowledgement must be sent after

receiving a message successfully.

6. Latest message will be identified by record

sequence id.

7. The primary key should be sent in each message

8. In each message, there will be a message type9. The 1st letter of each xml tag should be in

lower case

Removal Permission

Empty Removed from Port

Empty Moved from other OffDock

Empty Received from ConsigneeUpdate EDI Move for OLODCY

Gate in Survey Report

Equipment Stock Status

Equipment Placed for Stuffing Laden Gate Out

Update EDI move for OLODCY

• Cargo Receiving

• Cargo Status Checking

• Shipping Bill Receiving

• Issue Doc Receipt

• Cargo Status Visibility to Client Holders

• Preparation & Transmission of Load Plan

• Load Plan Received in Off-Dock

• Arrange Equipment Placement

based on FIFO (Automated)• Coordinated by OffDock & Carrier

• Stuffing & Sealing (Validation)

of Container As per Load Plan

Gate OUT Off Dock

Gate IN Port

• EIR & SB Receiving

• Seal Checking

• Feeder Nomination

• Shipment Permission

• Stuffing Status Visibility to Client Holders

• Preparation & Transmission of Load Advice

• Truck Reporting Time

• Booking Receiving Time

• Booking Confirmation Validation

• Ramp Allocation

10. Null tag should also be added in the xml

messages

11. In each message root tag will be <xml>

Message Name Message Type Sender Receiver

Acknowledgeme

nt

ACK Both Both

Truck in TRUCKIN Off-dock FORWA

RDER

Truck Out TRUCKOUT Off-dock FORWA

RDER

Cargo receiving RECEIVING Off-dock FORWARDER

Shipping DOC

receiving

DOCRECEIVI

NG

Off-dock FORWA

RDER

Load Plan LOADPLAN FORWA

RDER

Off-dock

Cargo Overflow OVERFLOW FORWARDER

Off-dock

Cargo Stuffing STUFFING Off-dock FORWA

RDER

Gate In GATEIN Off-dock MLO

Gate out GATEOUT Off-dock MLO

Empty removal

permission

EMPTYREMO

VAL

MLO Off-dock

Empty containerremoved by other

off-dock

EMPTYREMOVALOOD

MLO Off-dock

ContainerStuffing

CNTSTUFFING

Off-dock MLO

B. Message Type

a) NEW b) AMENDED c) CANCELED

C. Message Header Format

[Message ID];[Message sending date time];[Message

Type]; [Sender]; [Receiver]; [Message For]; [MD5SUM]

For Example: 1234; 27 Nov 2006 09:31:08

AM;TRUCK;ESACK;FORWARDER; NEW;

464e8b06b8cf5

D. Standard Date time format

1. Standard date format should be: dd mmm yyyy (27

NOV 2006)

VI. IMPLEMENTATION TEMPLATE

FIGURE 1: AUTOMATED CARGO OPERATION

A. Message structure for “Acknowledgement message”

Sender: Both; Receiver: Both

Message Header:


Type]; [Sender];[Receiver]; [Message For] ;[MD5SUM]For Example: 1234; 27 Nov 2006 09:31:08

AM;ACK;FORWARDER;ESACK;NEW;

464e8b06b8cf5

Tag Name Description

msgType Message Type

msgID Message ID

status Message Status (OK, MISMATCH)

The xml portion will be encoded with MD5 encryptionmethod.

<XML><MSGType> ACK </MSGType>

<MSGID> 1234 </MSGID>

<Status> OK </Status>

</XML>

B. Message structure for “Truck In message”

Sender: Off-dock; Receiver: FORWARDER

Message Header:


Type]; [Sender];[Receiver]; [Message For] ;[MD5SUM]

For Example: 1234; 27 Nov 2006 09:31:08

AM;TRUCKIN;ESACK;FORWARDER;NEW;

464e8b06b8cf5

Tag Name Description

truckID CFS Truck ID

truckNo Truck number

truckInDateTime Truck In date with time

truckInCDateTime Activity date time

Consignee Consignee name

Shipper Shipper name

recordSeqID Record sequence ID

C. Message structure for “Truck Out message”


Message Header:


Type]; [Sender];[Receiver] ;

[Message For] ;[MD5SUM]

For Example: 1234; 27 Nov 2006 09:31:08AM;TRUCKOUT;ESACK;FORWARDER;NEW;

464e8b06b8cf5Tag Name Description

truckID CFS Truck ID

releaseDate Release date with time

releaseCDate Activity date and time

recordSeqID Record sequence ID

D. Message structure for “Cargo receiving message”


Message Header:


Type]; [Sender];[Receiver] ; [Message For] ;[MD5SUM]

For Example: 1234; 27 Nov 2006 09:31:08

AM;RECEIVING;ESACK;FORWARDER;NEW;

464e8b06b8cf5

E. Message structure for “Shipping DOC receiving

message”


Message Header:



For Example: 1234; 27 Nov 2006 09:31:08

AM;DOCRECEIVING;ESACK;FORWARDER;NEW;

464e8b06b8cf5

F. Message structure for “Load Plan message”

Sender: MLO; Receiver: FORWARDER

Message Header


Type]; [Sender];[Receiver];


For Example: 1234; 27 Nov 2006 09:31:08

AM;LOADPLAN;FORWARDER;ESACK;NEW;

464e8b06b8cf5

G. Message structure for “Cargo Overflow”

Sender: MLO; Receiver: FORWARDER

Message Header:



For Example: 1234; 27 Nov 2006 09:31:08

AM;OVERFLOW;FORWARDER;ESACK;NEW;464e8b06b8cf5

H. Message structure for “Stuffing message”


Message Header:


Type]; [Sender];[Receiver]; [Message For] ;[MD5SUM]For Example: 1244; 27 Nov 2006 09:31:08

AM;STUFFING;ESACK;FORWARDER;NEW;

464e8b06b8cf5

FIGURE 2: OFF-DOCK MLO(S) MESSAGE FLOW

I. Message structure for “Empty Container Removedby Other Off-dock”

Sender: MLO; Receiver: Off-Dock

Message Header:



For Example: 1244; 27 Nov 2006 09:31:08 AM;

EMPTYREMOVALOOD;MLINE;ESACK;NEW;

464e8b06b8cf5

J. Message structure for “Gate In”

Sender: Off-dock; Receiver: MLO

Message Header:



For Example: 1244; 27 Nov 2006 09:31:08 AM;

GATEIN;ESACK;MLINE;NEW; 464e8b06b8cf5

K. Message structure for “Gate Out”

Sender: Off-dock; Receiver: MLO

Message Header:



For Example: 1244; 27 Nov 2006 09:31:08

AM;GATEOUT;ESACK;MLINE;NEW; 464e8b06b8cf5

L. Message structure for “Container Stuffing”

Sender: Off-Dock; Receiver: MLO

Message Header:


Type]; [Sender];[Receiver] ;


For Example: 1244; 27 Nov 2006 09:31:08

AM;CNTSTUFFING;ESACK;MLINE;NEW;464e8b06b8cf5

VII. DISCUSSION

The overall objective of this research and analysis was to

assess the impacts of implementing the activity driven

live system to increase the visibility of off-dock container

yard operations and the service quality. Another basic

target was to reduce the process complexity on different

operation of port and respective work delay. As

importance factor off-dock is a most crucial place where

different stakeholders are directly related to its

operations. Main Line Operator (MLO) alwayscommunicates with off-dock for container movement (IN

or OUT) purpose, Freight Forwarder concerns about

cargo handling, C&F agent concern about Import

Containers for unloading. Alternatively Shipper and

Consignee are always dragging their desires for quick

Shipment. So visibility and timeliness is very much

necessary to satisfy all of the party.

In this connection, this is the best way to derive theOnline Activity base operation which reduce the time

complexity of events and processes, reduce the human

interactions for validation purpose and gain the visibility

among the beneficiaries.

In technology issue, email is most available and cheaper

technology which can be found in most of the premises

and now a day’s email is very much known and

authenticated communication tool and if both party is

agree then unlimited number of mail can be sent. Here we

use the most suitable and portable database format

extended markup language (XML) which ensures the data

security. For information security here we propose the

MD5 encryption method where the message body will be

encrypted by MD5 except the 1st line of the body.

Furthermore, for any of these initiatives to be successful,the close cooperation of all stakeholders, including local

and regional authorities is necessary. Activity base

systems through message passing are essential in all

recipient end and without a positive timely manner

response of all beneficiary its not possible to implement.

VIII. CONCLUSION

Through our research and analysis efforts we have

demonstrated that container terminal automation isfeasible and may have substantial impact on the

operations of terminals with real time nature. The basis

factor is massage passing in exactly event wise which

may help to reduce manual job and data entry and which

may increase the validly on data. Many promising

research directions have been identified and presented

through this analysis.

We all are living in the information age. The amount of

information being collected by business organizations,

companies and agencies are becoming very large both in

size and volume day by day. Recent advance technologiesgiving facilities to automate and improve data collection

methods and storing capabilities and thus its now

increasing the volumes of data. The automated need for

collecting data is to extract useful information.

In this thesis we have shown the use of optimization and

simulation as decision support tools in the management

of a real world container terminal. We focused our

attention on the problem of information delay and have

shown how operation data can be transmitted to generate

better customer service as well as resource allocation

plans which can be used to support the terminal managers in deciding their management strategies. For this purpose,

the detail message structures represent the realistic

communication way in cheap and reliable way. Our

current work is aimed at providing another decision

support tool which we deem fundamental to improve

terminal management: through heuristic algorithm and

mix integer programming which could generate the right

decision to place of contain and cargo with less

movement of carrier.

IX. SUGGESTION FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT

Here it is developed an approach for creating a costeffective and real time operation flow system. This

approach may be use in different segment of information

flow round the world. By using this methodology the

warehouse can be developed for better management of

the different portion of shipping industry. This approach

also can be used in different segments of business and

other real life sector where this is very necessary to gain

the data in timely manner.

This is the introductory stage of research analysis for

helping the shipping industry to involve in the automated

fast moving shipping sector. This study may help to

introduce the next generation ‘Soft-Robot’ of container

terminal, where the Software will perform the role of

CEO and his/her responsibility for decision making in

different sectors considering the previous fact and figures

and history. The final destination of this type of work will

be fully automated soft-robot where this soft-robot will

act as decision maker, who will take the decision under

extreme uncertainty considering all related factors andfigures and the previous long history, which may cause

effect for making the right decision of container

placement, cargo operation, seal distribution etc.Shipping industry of 21st century is facing many

challenges, including Profitability, Adaptability,Competitiveness, Growth, Globalization, Technology,Speed of Change etc. All of these are significantchallenges. The good organizations will have processes,procedures and standards of performance to meet thesechallenges. And in this situation soft-robot can help toimprove the business performance and risk management.

REFERENCES

[1] E. Blümel, (ed.), Managing and Controlling Growing Harbour

Terminals, Society for Computer Simulation International, 1997.

[2] G. Bontempi, L.M. Gambardella, A.E. Rizzoli, Simulation andoptimization for management of inter modal terminals, paper

presented at ESM ’97, Istanbul, June 1-4, 1997.

[3] G. Booch, Object-oriented Analysis and Design: withApplications, 2nd Edition, Rational, Santa Clara, 1994.

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[7] T.L. Magnanti, R.T. Wong, Network design and transportationplanning: models and algorithms. Transportation Science, 18(1),

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[8] M. Mastrolilli, L.M. Gambardella, New Neighbourhood Function for the Flexible Job Shop Problem, IDSIA Technical Report n. 5-

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[9] H. Papadimitriou, K. Steiglitz, Combinatorial optimization:algorithms and complexity, Prentice-Hall, N.Y., 1982.

[10] A.E. Rizzoli, L.M Gambardella, G. Bontempi, Simulation of anIntermodal Containe Terminal to Assist the Management in theDecision Making Process, in Proceedings of MODSIM 9,International Congress on Modeling and Simulation, Hobart,

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[11] O.P. Sha, Computer aided on board management, in P. Banda and C.Kuo (eds.) Computer Applications in the Automation of

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