Port of LA Sets Container Record, RFIDs Security

For the past six months – which represent the first half of the Port’s 2006 – 2007 fiscal year – container volumes were up 5.7%. Citing current stable labor relations, lack of ship congestion and longer terminal operating hours, the Port expects container volume growth to continue in the new year.

With RFID (radio frequency identification) infrastructure now in place in a number of 50 – 100+ acre transloading facilities and marine terminals through the Long Beach basin, the move is now to use the technology to automatically identify every drayage vehicle that moves between the terminals and intermodal facilities.

The non-profit company created by marine terminal operators at the Ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach – PierPASS – has purchased 10,000 active RFID transmitters from WhereNet and is contracting for service from WhereNet and eModal to distribute the tags to drayage companies servicing the ports.

RFID readers are being installed at each marine terminal to read truck tags as drivers arrive at facilities and approach security. The new system will provide a U.S. Coast Guard-sanctioned level of security.