The Montreal Port Authority (MPA) announces the implementation of a project that will reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by optimizing truck routes to and from terminals located on Port of Montreal territory, the company said in its press release.
The advanced new Trucking PORTal Web-based application will be a key tool to reach the goal of reducing wait times at port container terminals.
A data capture system makes it possible to measure truck trips from entering to leaving the Port, and to relay this information in real time to drivers and dispatchers. To achieve this, we rely on a combination of Bluetooth and RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) technologies and licence plate readers.
Specifically, truck trips are captured at several points on Port territory, tracking their movement. This results in a comprehensive view of the traffic, bottlenecks and wait times at the various terminals. This information is sent to drivers in real time by means of a mobile application that they download on their mobile device (from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store), or directly on their computer (from www.portmtltrucks.com). They use this information to plan their route to get to the Port and, while on Port territory, optimize the time it takes them to deliver or pick up cargo.
Result: Shortened wait times and time frames automatically result in a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, in addition to reducing traffic congestion and increasing the flow of truck transport service. Shippers also come out winners.
“The Port of Montreal is among the first ports in the world to offer its road transport partners an advanced real-time information system on truck traffic on its territory. We are constantly working to improve freight mobility, which is our trademark, and reduce our environmental footprint,” said Sylvie Vachon, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Montreal Port Authority.
The Montreal Port Authority wants to thank Transport Canada for its $1.375 million contribution to this project that meets a very real need. There has been a steady rise over the last ten years in the proportion of containers carried by truck.
About the Port of Montreal
Operated by the Montreal Port Authority (MPA), the Port of Montreal is a major diversified transshipment centre that handles goods of all kinds: containerized and non-containerized, liquid bulk and solid bulk. It is a leading container port served by the world’s largest container shipping lines.
The Port of Montreal has its own railway network directly dockside. It is connected to the two trans-Canadian railroad systems, and to a network of highways as well. The Port operates a passenger terminal that welcomes cruise passengers. All of the other terminals are managed by private stevedoring companies. Port activity supports 16,000 jobs and generates some 2.1 billion dollars in economic benefits every year.