What improvement initiatives and innovations has it implemented?What improvement initiatives and innovations should it consider?

Using the attached previously completed outline develop a Port Improvement Plan  Presentation. Presentation must follow template and outline. Include photos and graphs as necessary. Do not include any secure, confidential or private information in your plan. The PIP should include background about the port, its products and services, markets, and strategies .
Instructor provided feedback on the outline that the sections were good but need more detail included.
Template for PIP
1.Background information about the port: industry classification; markets, location, number of employees, products & services, suppliers, other pertinent information
2.What are the port’s strategic goals?
3.What are the strengths of the port?
4.What are the weaknesses of the port?
5.What metrics does the port utilize?
6.What improvement initiatives and innovations has it implemented?
7.What improvement initiatives and innovations should it consider?
8.What should be the next step be to improve the port?
9.Provide data from the case to support your conclusions as necessary.

Compare your supply chain to an exemplar, standard, benchmark, or best practice.

Discuss supplier performance metrics and the use of supplier audits to maintain supplier performance during the contracting period.

Bid and Proposal Documents
Unit 2
This section will contain a discussion of the specific bid and proposal documents used in the procurement activities within your chosen organization.
Contract Types
Unit 3
This section will include the contract types used for procurement activities within your chosen organization.
Third-Party Logistics (3PLs)
Unit 4
This section will contain a discussion of third-party logistics (3PLs). You will define 3PLs and discuss the use of 3PLs in your organization. If your organization does not use third-party logistics, describe the reasons why.

Supplier Relationship Management
Unit 4
This section will contain a description of the supplier relationship management activities that your organization uses.

Contract Closeout
Unit 5
This section will contain a description of how your organization ensures the products or services procured meet expectations. You will also discuss how you will finalize payments to suppliers.

Maintaining Supplier Performance
Unit 5
This section will discuss supplier performance metrics and the use of supplier audits to maintain supplier performance during the contracting period.

Memo to Procurement Officer

To: Procurement Officer
From: Student Name
Date: Month, Day Year
Subject: Procurement Plan
Justify using this procurement plan in a memo to the procurement officer at your chosen organization. As part of the justification, describe how the plan aligns with the organizational strategy or mission. This will be completed in Unit 5.

Discuss the history of the use of cranes at container ports and how their efficiency may diminish over time due to increased economies of scale (larger vessels, larger container yards, ect).

Automated Cranes at Container Terminals

Write a 3 page paper covering the benefits and disadvantages of utilizing automated cranes a container port. Writer must also provide a paper outline as well. The outline must provide an introduction paragraph and a conclusion one, along with information typically found within a research paper outline.

Utilizing the following for basics for outline and paper:

1. Introduction

Discuss the importance of container ports and how port cranes facilitate intermodal transportation on a global scale. Introduce the concept of autonomous cranes and why this concept has sparked interest within the transportation industry over the last few years. Ensure to end introduction with a thesis statement that pertains to how the benefits of utilizing autonomous cranes outweighs the disadvantages of using them.

2. Background

Discuss the history of the use of cranes at container ports and how their efficiency may diminish over time due to increased economies of scale (larger vessels, larger container yards, ect).

Discuss the history of autonomous cranes at container ports and how they positively affected port operations at a specific large scale port terminal after their integration into the port’s infrastructure.

3. Benefits of Utilizing Autonomous Cranes (ensure to utilize source when discussing the benefits)

Decreased vessel discharge/load times. Discuss how autonomous cranes can drastically decrease vessel discharge/load times. Identify how this can benefit such things as lowering costs and increasing productivity.

Decreased safety incidents. Discuss how autonomous cranes can drastically decrease safety incidents throughout a container terminal.

4. Autonomous Crane Use Opposing Viewpoints (ensure to utilize source when discussing the disadvantages)

Infrastructure Project Costs. Discuss the cost at which it takes to integrate autonomous cranes into terminal operations. Include not only the cranes, but also costs associated with maintaining them, synching the technology, and hiring specialized workers.

Cybersecurity Issues. Discuss cybersecurity issues pertaining to autonomous cranes such as hackers and cyber terrorists. Discuss how their actions can compromise port operations pertaining to autonomous cranes.

Conclusion

Summarize the paper.

Use scholarly articles and government website for references in addition to the following:

Konings, R., Priemus, H., & Nijkamp, P. (2008). The future of intermodal freight transport: Operations, design and policy. Edward Elgar Publishing Limited.

Identify new challenges within transportation and logistics management and develop viable solutions to these challenges.

The Final Research Project will be 20-25 pages and due in week 8. The project must include a title page, table of contents, abstract, and a reference page. The project will demonstrate the knowledge acquired through course work completed to date. The project is an application of this knowledge and requires the student to analyze and interpret the topic of interest. The use of graphics and charts is highly encouraged.

This report must be original work. This report cannot include papers submitted in previous courses.

Format

APA cover page

Abstract (1/2- 1 page)

2. Introduction to the topic, problem

3. Literature Review Background Research on the topic (use from week 5)

4. Discussion of your ideas on the topic and problem

5. Discussion of new solution(s) to the problem

6. Conclusion

The final paper must have the following key sections, clearly identified, though they can be titled creatively to reflect your question and interests:

I. An introduction that states the problem and why your topic is important.

The research question, clearly and concisely stated as a question. What do you hope to answer with this research? This section should also include definition of terms.

II. Literature Review – background research on this topic

III. The results/ discussions, describes what you have learned that helps answer the research question. What are you ideas about this topic?

IV. The discussion of potential new solutions.

V. The conclusion, which summarizes the key points of the paper and suggests further research needed on this topic.

VI. A list of references in APA format.

Topics for the course project include but are not limited to:

1) The convergence of transportation congestion and transportation security at a U.S. seaport.

2) A review of past Transportation legislation while developing a new proposal to address past weaknesses and omissions.

3) The transitioning of the Defense Transportation System toward complementing best practices in supply chain management efficiently and securely.

4) A review of the U.S. economy and its impact on transportation and logistics management.

5) Identify new challenges within transportation and logistics management and develop viable solutions to these challenges.

6) Identify an emerging concept such as reverse logistics, green logistics, etc. and analyze its impact on the future of transportation and logistics management.

7) Other topics will be considered.