b'24American Journal ofTransportation ajot.com(ESSENTIALcontinued from page 22)delivery and regional logistics optimization makes them vital assets for modern supply chains adapt-ing to both bulk cargo needs and time-sensitive con-sumer goods, Research and Markets reports. Helbingsaiddryportshaveevolvedfrom extended gate to full logistics ecosystems.i nTegraTingi nLanDP orTS inTo TheS uPPLyc hainDr. Paul Kent, Senior Vice President and Man-aging Director, Ports and Logistics for Monument EconomicGroupofArlington,VA.,saidinland dry ports are now fully integrated logistics parks, combiningbondedwarehousing,coldstorage, fulfillment,lightassembly,andmultimodalrail/road services. He said prime examples of this shift include Thanaleng in Lao PDR, which Monument helped develop, and Zaragoza PLAZA in Spain.Kent said the Thanaleng project was designed as part of Chinas Belt Road Initiative to provide land-based connectivity to Lao PDR - southeast Asias only landlocked country - whose economic growth is disadvantaged by lack of maritime port access and efficient land connectivity to serve its trade sector.The countrys logistics were constrained by the unavailability of cargo handling facilities and insti-tutional mechanisms that would enable trade rather than hamper it.As part of that effort to improveAerial view of the BNSF Railway Salt Lake City Intermodal Facility, Utahconnectivity, the government has encouraged the development of dry ports. The $110 million Tha- HesaidTerminalOperatingSystems(TOS)areof dry ports.nalenginvestment,locatedinVientiane,isLaonow used in dry ports to manage gates, yards, andGenerally, the technology used at dry ports fol-PDRs largest dry port to provide the same servicescontainer movements. Plus, RFID & IoT tracking islows the developments in deepwater seaports. This as marine terminals. It will also include a mixed- utilized in container identification, yard equipmentwillincludeOCR,automation,andpre-clearance use development consisting of warehousing, hotelsmonitoring, and real-time inventory visibility whilesystemstofacilitateconnectivitywiththeports, and commercial development, banks, and residen- OCR gate systems and appointment scheduling ishe said. Dry ports and seaports have also started tialfacilities.Investorswereawardeda50-yearhelping to smooth truck arrivals and reduce dwellusing real-time connections to track and trace cargo, concession to build and operate the facility, whichtime.Inaddition,digitalcustomsplatforms,sin- predictsailingschedules,andpreventpotential is currently serving a Chinese rail line as well asgle-window systems and Port Community Systemsglitches in advance. In the last few years, many dry freight trucks.(PCS) are linking inland facilities with seaports, car- portshavetakenstepstodevelopzero-emission Kentsaidmanyport-sidetechnologieshaveriers, and customs.transport and decarbonize their operations.migrated inland, reshaping how dry ports operate.Helbing agreed about the technological advances(ESSENTIALcontinued on page 27)ST. LOUIS REGION BY THE NUMBERS#1 MOST EFFICIENT U.S. INLAND PORT DISTRICT6 CLASS 1 RAILROADS: GLOBAL CONNECTIVITY 1 5% MORE PRODUCTIVE MANUFACTURINGWORKFORCE THAN NATIONAL AVERAGE4X MORE AEROSPACE MANUFACTURING EMPLOYEESTHAN SIMILAR-SIZED MARKETS3.5X MORE ANIMAL FOOD MANUFACTURINGEMPLOYEES THAN PEER METRO AREAS$8B+ IN INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS LOW COST OF LIVING (13.7% BELOW NATIONAL AVERAGE) WITH DIVERSE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES.THE ST. LOUIS REGION DELIVERS. LET US GET YOU MOVING.To learn more about the thousands of acres of developer-ready real estate sites in theSt. Louis region and our role in advancing major infrastructure projects and addressingglobal supply chain disruptions, visit TheFreightway.com/AJOT or follow us on social media. TheFreightway.comFor site selection assistance, contact Mary Lamie at 314-982-1562 or [email protected].'