Leading Hand Tablet Picks Up Another Innovation Award

Leading Hands are operators who work on a vessel when it is alongside to ensure the safe and correct loading and discharging of containers.

The tablet replaces the traditional paper-based process and is hard-wearing so that it can operate in all weather conditions. It juggles between 4G and Wi-Fi to maintain connectivity.

Since its introduction to the terminal’s 17 quay cranes, the move rate has increased. This means ships have shorter stays and can travel to their next port sooner, enabling smarter trade that’s faster, safer and more sustainable.

Information is also entered back into the tablet by Leading Hands, which is transmitted to DP World’s customers through its Where’s my container? supply chain visibility tool.

DP World Southampton has equipped its straddle carriers with Panasonic TOUGHBOOK 33 rugged notebooks using bespoke docking units. The engineering team also uses the rugged notebooks to run diagnostics and manage the maintenance of the machines they service.

This Panasonic Innovation award is the second accolade which DP World Southampton has received for the tablet, having won the Product Innovation Award at the Lloyd’s Loading List Global Freight Awards in November 2019.

Panasonic put out a press release on 18 February 2020 which you can read in full here:

DP World Improves Productivity and Service at UK Shipping Terminal with Panasonic TOUGHBOOK Devices.