Potential port responses to new information systems on ships

Innovations in information technology, satellite navigation and hydrography are making it technically possible for commercial ships, run by very small crews, to be navigated in the world's seas and oceans with positional accuracies measured in tens of metres. If shipping lines do make the necessary investment in technological hardware, training, operational readjustments and data acquisition, and are also allowed to exploit the full potential of GPS, it will not be surprising if they then expect the ports to provide levels of information that allow the ships to exploit their new capabilities right up to the berth. Ports wishing to hold or improve their perceived service quality in the competitive port league will need to consider whether, and how, they can meet the shipping lines‘ requirements. The introduction of strict product liability law adds a new dimension to the assessment of commercial risk in the various technological possibilities available to the ports. The possible costs involved in cases whe...