News for hackers. Stuff that matters.

A comment on Dockworkers at ports from Maine to Texas go on strike. Parent comment

Re:Dockworkers at ports from Maine to Texas go on strike by viraptor on Tuesday October 01, 2024 @02:42AM (#41705266)
Only if the automation is cheaper and more efficient and that improvement/saving gets passed on to the (un)loading fees and then to the companies doing the transport and then to the marketplace middlemen and then then to the buyers/sellers.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Dockworkers at ports from Maine to Texas go on strike by seymore_12 on Tuesday October 01, 2024 @04:00AM (#41705763)
In my opinion, port costs never go down with automation. If anything, they go up when automation is deployed (this essentially means unmanned reach stackers, more cranes and eventually new TOS (Terminal Operating System) to compensate investment. This is interesting document (PDF) with port performance index for 2023. Page 11. https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/0990603241145396...
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Dockworkers at ports from Maine to Texas go on strike by Aerroon on Tuesday October 01, 2024 @06:45AM (#41706702)
The port costs might not go down now, but they also might increase as much as they would otherwise in the future.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Dockworkers at ports from Maine to Texas go on strike by wskinner on Tuesday October 01, 2024 @03:19AM (#41705525)
It is, and it does. US ports are far less efficient than the more automated ports in Asia and Europe.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Dockworkers at ports from Maine to Texas go on strike by viraptor on Tuesday October 01, 2024 @04:25AM (#41705914)
It's not clear the automation change in isolation would improve the situation. They can get automated badly and be even less efficient.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Dockworkers at ports from Maine to Texas go on strike by Yeul on Tuesday October 01, 2024 @05:18AM (#41706231)
Ah but that's because Rotterdam competes with Antwerp and Hamburg for example.

How many terminals are there on the West coast of the US that can handle the biggest vessels?

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Dockworkers at ports from Maine to Texas go on strike by gamblor956 on Wednesday October 02, 2024 @12:12AM (#41717090)
Two, and they both make heavy use of automation. (The port of LA and the neighboring port of Long Beach).
[ Parent | on HN ]