Sphere No.48 (Jan 2020)

than almost any other container terminal in the world. Its operation uses a wide range of technological solutions. In many cases, the nocturnal port outperforms the daytime operations. Part of the reason things work better at night is that fewer lorries are on site. While Mr Machima says they encourage more lorries to come at night for pick up and drop off, factories aren’t willing to extend their hours to match port hours. If they properly implemented technology like that at Hutchison Ports Thailand and saw the benefits, they would probably be more open to it. In-situ technology also makes visiting lorry drivers better at their job. Green- and red-light arrows are easier for lorry drivers to see and follow at night. An auto-gantry can detect if lorries are not parked properly and tell them to adjust their position. Omnipresent cameras provide a visual record of all activity should it be needed for review later on. The new cranes can also detect if a lorry driver hasn’t properly released a container from their chassis. In the old days, faulty release could damage the lorry and the crane. Now, the auto-gantry knows there is a problem and gingerly puts the container down before an accident occurs. Even better, with no people needed on the ground, there is no chance for a container to hit a person working down below, a risk in former days (and still so in less-sophisticated ports elsewhere). Remote-control crane operators often prefer night-time work too. While they use the same remote-control technology during the day, the use of extensive and consistent lighting means they can see more at night. While the light changes over the course of the day, changing the view from the cameras, the night-time light is consistent; there are no shadows and no errant reflections. CCTV resolution has improved dramatically, providing a superior view to the naked eye. Formerly, daytime crane operators had blind spots, trying to see containers and their landing spots from 40 to 50 metres away. Now remote- control operators are right in the action. This reduces the risk of accidents. Furthermore, scanners provide a warning of something (a container or lorry) headed in the wrong direction or coming too close to something it shouldn’t, just like a car that beeps when you back up too close to a wall. learn a paper-based system with no means of checking in case of error. And speaking to something (if not someone), makes the experience more engaging during the long night hours. The pickers make sure pallets of goods arrive loaded and ready to hit the lorries which then spread out and bring Hong Kong shoppers the food and consumer goods they need first thing in the morning. Without the midnight workers, their bread would be less tasty and their vegetables a little less crispy. Keeping consumers safe Another night-time operation in the fresh food distribution centre is the round-the- clock laboratory testing of Chinese leafy vegetables for pesticide residues. The unique Farm Check programme delivers the inspection, training, accreditation, auditing and traceability of all leafy vegetable farms in the Mainland that supply PARKnSHOP stores. A sample is taken for every type of leafy vegetable from each farm. A rapid ‘Immobilised Enzyme’ pesticide screening test is performed on site on each and every sample throughout the night, no exceptions. Before the sun rises, these samples race up to the PARKnSHOP Food Safety Laboratories in Sheung Shui to face highly rigorous scrutiny using advanced analytical instrumentation. In the very unlikely event that any pesticide residues are found that are not permitted or exceed the Hong Kong legal limits, immediate action is taken by removing all affected product from stores. Thanks to the unique ‘Farmtrak’ traceability system, PARKnSHOP can quickly trace the source farm responsible via the barcode labels on each basket and then move to suspend the supply from the farm concerned. Later, the PARKnSHOP quality assurance agricultural scientists visit the farm concerned to investigate the findings and instigate corrective action, which may include permanently ending supply from that farm. “Night-time is the best time” “Night-time is the best time!” So says Anat Machima, Senior Operations Manager of Hutchison Ports Thailand at Laem Chabang. He has the numbers to back this up. This port has implemented more remote- control and artificial intelligence technology Sphere #48 2020 12 after MIDNIGHT >> Modern civilisation needs the oil, gas, electrons, containers and calories to flow 24/7. Testing before tasting in the wee hours keeps Hong Kong’s breakfast tables free from contamination.