U.S. Dept. of Commerce Partners with USC Marshall Center to Advance Nation’s Supply Chain
A strategic partnership with the USC Marshall Center for Global Supply Chain Management aimed at improving the global competitiveness of the nation’s supply chains was signed by U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker.
“Through this new partnership, we hope to encourage ports around the country to increase efficiency by adopting new technologies that will provide more information on the flow of goods to port users and stakeholders,” said U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker.
“The ability to move cargo quickly through our ports is critical to national and regional trade, economic growth, and our nation’s overall competitiveness.”
The partnership with USC Marshall will allow for collaboration on digitalization of the nation’s supply chains, including applications related to IoT (Internet of Things).
The first formal event of the partnership will be the Port Community IT Systems Exhibition and Technology Challenge at USC on Nov. 18-20.
The gathering will open with a symposium offering leaders from ports communities and supply chain owner organizations, as well as public policy and academic experts a chance to explore how digital innovations can increase port operating efficiencies and reduce overall supply chain congestion.
“The Port of Los Angeles isn't just the nation's leading cargo port - it’s a laboratory for ideas and technologies that show how ports across America can thrive in the global marketplace for generations to come,” said Mayor Eric Garcetti.
“Los Angeles is the perfect home for this innovative partnership, and I’m proud of the critical role our port has played in making it possible.”
Digital Solutions
The November conference will also feature a technology challenge, allowing teams of startups and student developers to compete for $15,000 in prizes for innovative new applications and solutions for sharing vital information through Port Community IT systems.
The Department’s 21st Century Ports Initiative is designed to promote excellence in the operation of the nation’s ports and associated supply chains.
Digitalization of supply chain operations offers opportunities for innovation and increased efficiencies that can benefit the wider U.S. economy.
The existing research program at the Center for Global Supply Chain Management brings synergy to this effort.
“At the direction of Mayor Garcetti and Secretary Pritzker, The Port of Los Angeles will embark upon a project to test the capabilities of advanced digital technology to support efficiency, transparency and reliability in the maritime supply chain,” said Gene Seroka, Executive Director of the Port of Los Angeles.
“We must engage a broad network of experts to succeed and the partnership announced today offers an excellent platform to do that.”
Centers of Excellence Role
The Center for Global Supply Chain Management at the USC Marshall School of Business has worked with the Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach on multi-year research projects to develop efficiencies and solutions for improved cargo flow and environmental sustainability for three years.
The Center has hosted the annual Global Supply Chain Management Excellence Summit since 2012, bringing together key supply chain stakeholders to network and share knowledge.
“The alliance between the Dept. of Commerce, USC Marshall and the CGSCM will facilitate the crucial first step of dissecting this problem so we can move forward with modernizing global supply chain using digital technology,” said Nick Vyas executive director of USC Marshall’s Center for Global Supply Chain Management (CGSCM) and assistant professor of clinical data sciences and operations at USC Marshall.
21st Century U.S. Port Competitiveness Initiative: U.S. Supply Chain Excellence
The Department of Commerce is partnering with the University of Southern California (USC) Marshall Center for Global Supply Chain Management to host a Port Community Information Technology Systems Exhibition and Technology Challenge, November 18-20, in Los Angeles.
The event - phase one of a larger partnership effort to improve 21st Century U.S. supply chain excellence - will bring together supply chain stakeholders, members of port communities, system providers and leading researchers in this field, as well as talented teams of technology innovators competing for a $15,000 prize for the most cost effective, user friendly new port-supply chain information-sharing technologies (IT).
With the advent of megavessels arriving in the U.S., U.S. ports will need to be able to implement port community IT systems that permit real time sharing of critical cargo information among all participants in the supply chain in order to stay efficient and avoid port and cargo disruptions.
These IT platforms have been deployed successfully at some non-U.S. ports, providing them with a competitive advantage by reducing cargo processing times. Helping interested U.S. ports and stakeholders to develop such systems for use in U.S. ports will improve port operating efficiency, enable faster U.S. cargo flow, reduce port and supply chain congestion and improve the competitiveness of America’s supply chains.
As part of the Department’s 21st Century Port Competitiveness Initiative, Secretary Pritzker has asked the Department’s Advisory Committee on Supply Chain Competitiveness to send her a recommendation for the critical cargo status element data that should be shared among ports and supply chains to improve cargo movement and efficiency. The technology solutions to be developed will utilize these industry recommendations, which the Committee is expected to finalize at its October 20-21meeting. These will be made available to all event participants and technology competitors.
This event will foster a weekend of robust interaction among all participants around topics related to port community IT systems, including supply chain IT, data and analytics, and the Internet of Things (IoT). This is Phase One in a long term program of collaboration between the Department and the Marshall Center designed to foster the digitalization of America’s supply chains.
At the event, the Department and the USC Marshall Center for Global Supply Chain will serve as conveners, bringing together a wide spectrum of stakeholders, system suppliers, researchers and innovators to catalyze the adoption of port community IT systems. The event will not endorse or mandate any system; participants will be exposed to a broad spectrum of solutions which can be tailored to specific port circumstances and requirements.
Who should attend: Port managers and their IT partners, IT system providers, innovators, supply chain stakeholders, supply chain professionals and researchers.
Additional information on the program and registration can be found at the links below:
For additional information: Please contact Eric Chow at [email protected] or 213-821-4079.
Related: National Retail Federation’s Jonathan Gold Shares His Views on the Ocean Cargo Supply Chain
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