Utilization of sophisticated software in conjunction with the latest geographic information system technology for a unified pavement management system could significantly alter container terminal operating and maintenance procedures worldwide.

APM Terminals will begin the initial testing phase of a new comprehensive Pavement Management System (PMS) at the APM Terminals Zeebrugge facility with potentially significant ramifications for increased productivity and safety and sharply improved efficiencies for the APM Terminals Global Terminal Network, and the container industry.

Employing specially modified software currently in use at major international airports in Europe and elsewhere that incorporate advanced Geographic Information System (GIS) technology, APM Terminals will be able to optimize terminal pavement lifecycles through improved maintenance and construction processes.  As the number and size of container terminals around the world continues to expand to accommodate projected container traffic and international transportation patterns, even incremental improved efficiencies can produce significant savings when adapted to a global scale.

In 2006, container terminal paved surfaces world-wide were estimated at some 19,200 Hectares, equivalent to approximately 47,000 acres (74 square miles, or 192 square km), representing an asset replacement value estimated at more than 20 bln. USD.  APM Terminals, with a total paved terminal surface area of some 1,800 Hectares (4,450 acres; 7 square miles, or 18 square km), accounted for 9.5% of global paved terminal surfaces.  Paving and maintenance of paved terminal areas constitute a major proportion of port infrastructure investment.  APM Terminals’ overall terminal investment in 2007 was over $850 million USD.

Danish-based international engineering firm Ramboll with more than 8,500 employees and 25,000 projects per year in 130 countries will be conducting the 9-month PMS implementation process at APM Terminals Zeebrugge, which will be followed by a year-long live-test period.

Ramboll’s service will be based on experience from a similar system for airports developed in-house and implemented at Sydney, Lisbon, Vienna, Domodedovo, Newcastle, Roskilde, Copenhagen and Athens International Airports. The system optimizes, every year, more than 2,000 hectares of heavy-duty pavement.