Captain Jon Helmick, Ph.D., and Director, Logistics and Intermodal Transportation, US Merchant Marine Academy, set the stage for the discussion with an overview of the industry with a focus on shippers and carriers. According to Captain Helmick, information technology is the key for the future of transportation management. Shippers require on-time performance, customer service, document accuracy, and the ability to track shipments. It's all about streamlining the supply chain, and it is important to work with existing resources to improve productivity and utilize information technology to the fullest advantage. A shortage of a qualified workforce extending from equipment operators to the executive level is also affecting the cargo industry.
Labor is crucial.
The Department of Transportation has been working on programs specifically geared to young people just entering the workforce to get them interested in the field. Partnerships with academic institutions and the government have been formed. Ocean carriers and intermodal ships continue to work together to provide better training to the workforce. Another aspect of logistics addressed during the session was warehousing and how it has changed to become a full-service operation. As a result of these changes, its purpose needs to be clearly understood.