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Chapter 4  Hardware, Software, and Mobile Systems
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                container trucks are maintained. Another subsystem of CITOS   Realizing the urgent need of managing the ever increasing
                is the Gate Automation Subsystem which records the arrival of   movement of ships, PSA has implemented CIMOS i.e. Computer
                a container at the gate, lists its weight, and either assigns a loca-  Integrated Marine Operation System. CIMOS tracks the move-
                tion or directs delivery of containers, all within 45 seconds. The   ment of ships in the Singapore Straits and port waters, and one
                third subsystem of CITOS is the Ship Planning Subsystem which   of its most important functions is to notify ships that are on colli-
                manages the loading and unloading of containers. It positions   sion paths with each other, so that the port operator can contact
                the containers inside each vessel and allocates and sequences   the ships by radio to warn them to change their course. CIMOS
                cranes for unloading and loading.                     has a Vessel Traffic Information Subsystem, which monitors the
                    Another major concern in a port is the turnaround time of   Singapore Straits and port waters using five remote radars. All
                ships, which must be as quick as possible so as to manage the   of this information is stored in a database linked to PORTNET
                huge  volume of incoming ships. Here again PSA  has imple-  through which shippers can locate information about specific
                mented  information  system to  manage  the turnaround  time.   ships.
                The Yard Planning Expert Subsystem of CITOS sorts  containers
                for the optimum utilization of yard space, which eventually helps   DisCussion Questions
                to save time when containers are being unloaded or loaded. The
                Resource Allocation Subsystem of CITOS manages  the  huge     4-12. How is PSA taking the help of information system in or-
                operational staff of the Port of Singapore Authority. It allocates   der to manage the containers at the Port of Singapore?
                duties to operational staff and forecasts the exact requirements     4-13. Discuss  the application of  the information system in
                of staff for managing operations. It also produces a deployment   reducing the turnaround time of ships at the Port of
                plan for operations  to  be executed. Changes in  the resource   Singapore.
                requirements for crane equipment are detected instantaneously
                and adjusted accordingly in  the deployment  plan during  the     4-14. How is information system being applied to maintain
                deployment process.                                          coordination between PSA and shipping companies at
                    Not resting on its laurels, PSA is constantly finding avenues   the Port of Sinagpore?
                where it can implement information systems and yet another     4-15. How is CIMOS helping PSA to manage the movement
                application of information system at PSA is PORTNET. PORT-   of ships at port of Singapore?
                NET is an EDI facility specifically designed for effective coordi-
                nation between the Port of Singapore Authority and shipping     4-16. Visit the website (https://www.singaporepsa.com/) and
                companies. Shipping companies send a message  through  the   make a note of other services provided by of Port of
                system to the Port of Singapore Authority before the arrival of a   Singapore.
                ship in Singapore. The company clearly indicates the time/date    4-17. As one of the main job at PSA is the management of
                of arrival and number of containers on board, and electronically   ships in the proper manner, visit your nearby parking
                applies for required berth spaces. This is a 24 × 7 electronic data   facility and try to find out about the hardware being put
                interchange  system which works  in  tandem with  CITOS. The   in practice to manage the vehicles.
                application received from PORTNET is transferred to CITOS and
                the whole network handles the scheduling of the unloading and    4-18. Since the concept of Augmented Reality (AR) has been
                loading of containers.                                       discussed in this chapter, do you think that AR can help
                                                                             PSA in managing its activities at the port.
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