APS Technology Group, Inc., a leading provider of optical character recognition (OCR) and automation technology solutions for marine and intermodal terminals, announced the HYPERLINK "http://www.portofhouston.com/"Port of Houston Authority (PHA) will implement the APS Gate OCR Portal to automate equipment identification, traffic processing and imaging at both its marine terminals in Houston.  One of the largest ports in the world, The Port of Houston handles 69.6 percent of the containerized cargo market in the U.S. Gulf, and 95.5 percent of the containers moved through Texas seaports.

PHA will implement fourteen total lanes of Gate OCR at its Bayport and Barbour’s Cut terminals. The APS Gate OCR Portal provides centralized optical character recognition, identification and imaging of equipment exiting the terminals via over-the-road trucks. The system automatically identifies containers, chassis, and license plates associated with the equipment. The APS Gate OCR solution is fully integrated with Navis Express gate system from Zebra Enterprise Solutions to enable the automatic ‘out gate’ function to process the equipment without human interaction. Once installed, PHA customers can verify the status and condition of their cargo using the APS system images linked into the PHA website.

“OCR solutions facilitate faster cargo velocity and have proven to improve a port’s air quality emissions. Decreasing the time trucks spend waiting to exit a terminal and reducing idling time helps lower diesel exhaust that vehicles emit,” said Russ Scheppmann, APS Technology CEO.  “This is just another example of The Port of Houston Authority’s progressive leadership in embracing programs that improve productivity while also lowering the environmental impact on the local community.”