Waybridge, the supply chain operating system for raw materials, has announced an engagement with the Port of Panama City, one of the nation’s most critical gateways for the importation of metals. Situated on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway the port has, since 2003, imported millions of tonnes of metals, primarily from Chile and Peru.
This collaboration is Waybridge’s first port engagement and will grant the port and its customers access to technology for added efficiency, transparency, and resiliency in their operations, the company said in a media release.
Through the electronic creation of bills of lading, Waybridge will digitize the process, unlocking the tracking of truck and rail shipments from port to final destinations, all within one interconnected, cloud-based platform.
Suppliers that ship material through the Port of Panama City will get access to shipping information as soon as a truck or rail car is loaded so they know instantly what has been picked up and can inform their customers as needed.
Port customers will also have the opportunity to track inbound truck and rail shipments after they leave the port, Waybridge said, and access shipping information prior to arrival to improve their planning and receiving processes.
The port will deliver a modern customer service experience to suppliers, consumers, and carriers, and create a more efficient operation by replacing manual document management with automated, digital communication to its customers.
Upgrading from siloed paper bills of lading to electronic bills of lading on an interconnected platform is beneficial for both suppliers and customers, allowing shipment information to be viewed by all parties in real-time on the Waybridge platform.
“With so much of the world’s copper traveling through the Port of Panama City each year, the impact this engagement will have on copper suppliers and customers across North and South America, as well as the entirety of the supply chain, is monumental,” Scott Evans, Waybridge CEO said in the statement.
“We see this as the first iteration of a long and fruitful relationship with the port as we continue to transform these previously fragmented tracking processes into a digitized, centralized system.”
