THE CHALLENGE

The Port of Tauranga Container Terminal provides 24/7 services, including ship planning, operations, marshalling, onboard stevedoring, and reefer services. The terminal operates a fleet of straddle carriers, machinery used to transport containers across the wharf.

To further improve performance and efficiency, Cucumber was tasked with enhancing planning, visibility, and reporting on straddle usage, costs, maintenance, and refuelling. Additionally, the terminal sought to monitor driver performance to optimise straddle utilisation and improve health and safety metrics.

OUR APPROACH

Cucumber collaborated with the Terminal Operations Management team to identify key performance metrics for straddle optimisation.

Although the straddles had onboard PLCs, their data was inaccessible for real-time decision-making. Using IoT sensors, data ingestion, spatial and time-series analysis, Cucumber developed a proof of concept (PoC) covering seven straddles, making vital KPIs visible via a dashboard.

This PoC was expanded into a pilot for over 46 straddles, delivering a location-focused dashboard, work area status updates, and detailed reporting by straddle, driver, and service partner.

THE OUTCOME

The real-time dashboard provides an integrated source of information for planning and reporting, enabling significant operational improvements:

• Reduced Maintenance Costs: Improved preventive measures and asset management.

• Enhanced Safety and Operations: Better monitoring and evaluation of driver performance.

• Real-Time Management: Accurate tracking of straddles within spatial zones, boosting efficiency.

• Financial Gains: Increased operational efficiency, driving bottom-line improvements.

  
  

“Cucumber has enabled us to access real-time data from the straddles, which was previously difficult to obtain. We can now visualise fleet performance, identify health and safety issues, and make better decisions using a comprehensive dashboard.”

— Martyn McCogan, Manager, Port of Tauranga