Cargo Business Techwire

Friday, November 13, 2015

Houston container terminal deploys Navis N4 TOS

Navis, a division of Cargotec, announced that Barbours Cut Container Terminal (BCT), part of the Port of Houston Authority, has successfully completed its implementation of the Navis N4 terminal operating system. The TOS adds to a larger effort by the authority to update terminal operations to more modern hardware and software technology platforms.

Houston’s Bayport was the first terminal of the two to undergo the software modernization, transitioning from Navis’ SPARCS Express software to N4 in 2013. As part of a planned redevelopment, the Port Authority redeveloped more than 20 acres at Barbours Cut for container stacking and is currently in the process of commissioning four new SPP cranes on a newly renovated 1300-foot segment of dock.

The expansion of the Panama Canal is expected to bring an influx of larger ships. In anticipation of the expansion, BCT is working to invest in the modernization of its terminal infrastructure to prepare for the expected increase in demand.

"We are excited about moving Barbours Cut Terminal from our existing SPARCS Express application to N4. We’ve been operating N4 at our Bayport Terminal since 2013 and have been extremely pleased with its performance," said Jeff Davis, Chief Port Operations Officer for the Port Authority. "The upgrade at Barbours Cut will allow our organization and stakeholders to enjoy the benefits of N4 as well as allow the use of one common platform at both facilities."