Seaports are crucial multipliers and facilitators of national and regional trade and economic growth. Inefficiencies in the operation of our ports can impose a major cost on the U.S. economy and make America less competitive in the global market.

 

In order to avoid these problems, the Department of Commerce has encouraged American ports and associated supply chains to adopt new technologies through its 21^st Century Ports Initiative. This initiative involves digitalization of the supply chain, which will increase innovation and efficiency for ports and benefit the U.S. economy as a whole.

 

As part of this initiative, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker traveled to the University of Southern California last week to host the third in a series of regional port roundtables on this topic. During the event, Secretary Pritzker signed a strategic partnership agreement between the Commerce Department and the USC Marshall Center for Global Supply Chain Management. The goal of this agreement is to increase the ability to move cargo quickly through American ports. Secretary Pritzker explained that quickly moving cargo is critical to national and regional trade, economic growth, and our nation’s overall competitiveness.

 

The partnership’s first formal event will be the Port Community IT Systems Exhibition and Technology Challenge. The challenge allows teams of startups and student developers to compete for $15,000 in prizes for innovative new applications and solutions for sharing vital information through Port Community IT systems. The event will be held at USC on November 18-20. Register here: www.uscsupplychain.com/digitalsc.