7 Best Tips for Optimising Berth Utilization in Ports and Terminals

Port congestion costs money. Every hour a vessel waits at anchorage burns fuel, delays cargo, and frustrates everyone involved.

The solution?

Better berth utilisation.

Most ports aim for 60-70% berth occupancy. Push beyond 80%, and productivity drops by about 8.4% because of congestion. Stay below 50%, and you're wasting capacity.

The sweet spot balances throughput with flexibility. And getting there doesn't always require massive infrastructure spending. Often, it's about working smarter with what you already have.

Here are seven practical tips that can transform how your terminal manages berth space.

1. Stop Using First-Come-First-Served Scheduling

First-come-first-served sounds fair. But it's terrible for efficiency.

When ships race to get in line, they burn fuel just to sit and wait. This creates what experts call the "rush-to-wait" phenomenon. Vessels arrive at different times, with different cargo types, requiring different equipment. Treating them all the same makes no sense.

Research shows that optimised berth allocation can cut vessel turnaround time by 38.54% compared to FCFS. That's not a small improvement.

Better systems consider:

• Vessel size and class

• Cargo type and volume

• Equipment availability

• Service agreements with carriers

• Real-time terminal conditions

Dynamic scheduling adjusts allocations as vessels arrive. If a ship comes early or late, the system adapts. This flexibility prevents the cascading delays that FCFS creates.

Priority-based systems also help. Give preference to vessels with time-sensitive cargo or those that fit well with available equipment. The goal is maximising overall terminal efficiency, not just fairness.

Tools like berth planning software can automate this process. They consider dozens of variables simultaneously and find optimal solutions faster than manual planning ever could.

2. Implement Just-In-Time Vessel Arrivals

Ships traditionally race to port, then wait. Just-In-Time (JIT) flips this model.

Instead of rushing, vessels adjust their speed to arrive exactly when their berth is ready. No waiting at anchorage. No wasted fuel. No congestion.

The numbers prove it works. 

The International Maritime Organisation found that JIT can reduce CO2 emissions by an average of 14.16% per voyage. Even applying JIT to just the final 12 hours saves 4.23%.

Real ports see real results:

• Shell's Europoort Terminal in Rotterdam cut vessel departure idle time by 20%

• APM Terminals Rotterdam reduced idle time by 36% for Maersk vessels

• IMO estimates fuel consumption drops up to 20% per voyage with full JIT implementation

Making JIT work requires several pieces:

• Data sharing: Ports, terminals, carriers, and pilots need to exchange information in real-time. Everyone must know when berths will actually be available.

• Pre-booking systems: Reserve berth slots in advance. Vessels get guaranteed berthing times. Terminals can plan resource allocation with confidence.

• Communication platforms: Port Community Systems connect all stakeholders. Updates flow automatically when conditions change.

• Charter party clauses: Include JIT arrival terms in contracts. This gives legal backing to speed adjustments.

The setup takes coordination. But once running, JIT benefits everyone. Carriers save fuel. Ports reduce congestion. The environment wins too.

3. Optimise Crane and Equipment Allocation

Your berth is only as good as the equipment serving it.

Research shows that yard operations can slow berth operations by 50%. If containers pile up because you don't have enough yard trucks, your cranes sit idle. Vessels stay longer. Berth utilisation drops.

The optimal ratio is 10-16 yard trucks per quay crane. Below that, you create bottlenecks. Equipment sitting idle is wasteful. Equipment creating queues is worse.

Integrated planning considers:

• Berth allocation

• Crane assignment

• Yard truck distribution

• Container stacking locations

• Maintenance schedules

Top terminals achieve 30-40 crane moves per hour. Automated systems push above 40. But automation isn't always necessary. Better coordination of existing equipment often delivers major gains.

Dual-cycle operations help. When cranes load and discharge in the same movement, operating time drops by 10%. That single change improves vessel, crane, and berth productivity simultaneously.

Non-crossover constraints matter too. Adjacent cranes can't pass each other. Plan their positions carefully to avoid conflicts. Dynamic reallocation based on changing conditions keeps everything flowing.

The key is treating berth planning and equipment planning as one integrated problem, not two separate ones.

4. Use Predictive Technology for Vessel ETAs

Vessel arrival times are notoriously unreliable. One study at Port of Limassol found that 45% of container vessels arrived more than 30 minutes late. Another 13% were 2-6 hours late.

This unpredictability makes berth planning nearly impossible. You hold space for vessels that don't show up. Other vessels arrive unexpectedly and find no room.

Machine learning changes this. Modern prediction systems achieve remarkable accuracy:

• Random Forest models deliver errors of about 99.9 minutes

• XGBoost achieves 5% mean absolute percentage error

• Advanced hybrid models reach 0.25% error for some routes

Windward Maritime AI updates predictions every 10 minutes using 12+ years of maritime data. Their predictions are within ±48 hours for 87% of vessels when calculated 10 days before arrival.

Better predictions enable better decisions. When you know a vessel will arrive late, you can:

• Reassign that berth slot temporarily

• Notify other vessels of earlier availability

• Adjust crew and equipment schedules

• Reduce idle time across the terminal

Port of Hong Kong's predict-then-optimise framework cut prediction errors by 52.98%.

This directly reduced delay costs through improved berth allocation.

The technology exists. The accuracy is proven. Implementation delivers compound benefits that prediction or optimisation alone can't match.

5. Track and Improve Key Performance Metrics

You can't improve what you don't measure.

Berth Occupancy Rate is your foundation metric. Calculate it as total service time divided by total available hours. Target that 60-70% range. Above 80% signals congestion problems. Below 50% means underutilisation.

But occupancy alone doesn't tell the whole story. Add these metrics:

• Berth Waiting Ratio: How long vessels wait compared to service time. UNCTAD recommends below 30%. Top ports achieve below 10%. This directly reflects your competitive service quality.

• Gross Berth Moves Per Hour: For container operations, 30-40 moves per hour is the target. Automated terminals exceed 40. This shows how efficiently you're using berth time.

• Crane Moves Per Hour: Individual crane productivity matters. World-class terminals hit 30-40 CMPH. If yours fall short, investigate why.

• Container Dwell Time: Optimal is 3-5 days. Longer dwell times congest your yard, which slows berth operations. They're connected.

• Equipment Utilisation: Target 70-80%. Lower means waste. Higher often means equipment breakdowns and maintenance issues.

Regional variations exist. Southeast Asia achieves 1,462 TEU per meter of quay length. North America manages 781 TEU per meter. Know your region's benchmarks.

Track these metrics weekly. Share them with your team. Set improvement targets. Celebrate wins. Address problems quickly.

6. Build Collaborative Stakeholder Ecosystems

Berth efficiency isn't just about your terminal. It's about the entire supply chain.

Fragmented communication kills productivity. When carriers, terminals, pilots, customs, and trucking companies all operate in silos, delays multiply. Information gets lost. Decisions get made without full context.

Port Community Systems solve this. Rotterdam's Portbase connects 6,000+ companies and 15,000 users. Everyone shares data through one platform. Cargo declarations, customs clearance, berth scheduling all integrate seamlessly.

Fixed Berthing Window programs take collaboration further. Carriers get guaranteed berthing slots without waiting. In exchange, they commit to specific arrival times and pay premium fees. This enables JIT sailing and improves schedule reliability for everyone.

The Digital Container Shipping Association's Operational Vessel Schedule standard allows automatic data sharing between all parties. One format. One system. No manual data entry. Fewer errors.

Multi-terminal coordination helps too. The SeaTac Alliance between Ports of Seattle and Tacoma coordinates vessel calls and facility usage. Both ports benefit. So do the carriers using them.

Breaking down silos requires trust. Start small. Share data with one partner. Prove the value. Expand gradually. Technology platforms make this easier, but cultural change matters more.

7. Invest Strategically in Infrastructure

Some capacity constraints need physical solutions.

Channel depth increasingly determines competitiveness. Ultra-large container vessels carrying 24,000+ TEU need minimum depths of 17 meters. By 2030, over 50% of cargo will move on ships requiring this depth.

Ports are responding. Port of Virginia's 55-foot channel is the deepest on the U.S. East Coast. It reduces berth time by up to 15% through improved two-way traffic. Rotterdam's Maasvlakte 2 maintains 24-meter berths. Shanghai's Yangshan Port reaches 27 meters maximum depth.

A 24,346 TEU ship needs about 478 meters of berth space including safety gaps. Ships over 30,000 TEU may need 498 meters. Plan accordingly.

Automated mooring systems deliver quick wins. Cavotec's MoorMaster achieves mooring in seconds versus 40+ minutes for traditional methods. APM Terminals Tanger Med 2 cut mooring time by 71% and unmooring time by 23%.

Shore power is becoming mandatory. EU regulations require 90% of major port calls to have shore power access by 2030. Large container ships need about 1,600 kW at berth. Cruise ships need 10-15 MW. Installation costs $10-20 million per berth, but operational benefits include zero emissions and reduced noise.

Smart fender technology with IoT sensors captures real-time berthing data and provides automatic maintenance alerts. Small investment, useful insights.

Prioritise infrastructure that removes bottlenecks. Depth allows bigger vessels. Automation speeds operations. Shore power meets regulations while improving air quality. Choose investments that deliver multiple benefits.

Conclusion

Berth utilisation directly impacts your bottom line. Better planning reduces vessel waiting time. Faster turnarounds mean more ships served. Higher productivity with existing assets beats building new berths.

The seven tips covered here work together:

• Dynamic scheduling replaces inefficient FCFS

• JIT arrivals eliminate rush-to-wait patterns

• Integrated equipment planning prevents bottlenecks

• Predictive technology improves decision-making

• Performance metrics guide improvements

• Stakeholder collaboration reduces friction

• Strategic infrastructure removes physical constraints

Start with operational changes. They deliver results faster than construction projects. Implement berth planning software. Establish data-sharing protocols. Track your metrics.

Medium-term, add predictive analytics and optimisation tools. Long-term, invest in infrastructure that expands capacity and meets future vessel requirements.

The evidence is clear. Ports maintaining 60-70% berth occupancy outperform those pushing higher utilisation. Balance matters more than maximisation.

Ready to transform your berth planning? Get in touch to see how modern berth optimisation tools can help your terminal work smarter.

FAQs

What is the ideal berth occupancy rate?

The optimal range is 60-70%. This balances throughput with operational flexibility. Above 80%, congestion causes productivity to drop by about 8.4%. Below 50% indicates underutilisation. The sweet spot varies slightly by port type and vessel mix, but 65% is generally ideal.

How much can Just-In-Time arrivals reduce fuel consumption?

IMO studies show JIT can reduce fuel consumption by up to 20% per voyage when fully implemented. Even limited application to the final 12 hours saves about 4.23%. Real-world implementations at Rotterdam have cut vessel idle time by 20-36%, proving these estimates are realistic.

What's the difference between berth occupancy and berth utilisation?

Berth occupancy measures how much time berths are occupied (service time divided by available time). Berth utilisation also considers productivity during that time. You can have high occupancy with low utilisation if vessels stay longer than necessary due to inefficiency. Both metrics matter.

How accurate are modern vessel ETA prediction systems?

Leading systems achieve 5% mean absolute percentage error or better. Windward Maritime AI reports 87% of predictions fall within ±48 hours when calculated 10 days before arrival. Advanced hybrid models using multiple algorithms can reach 0.25% error for certain routes. This is vastly better than relying on carrier-provided ETAs alone.

Does port automation always improve berth productivity?

Not necessarily. Automation can increase crane moves per hour and reduce labor costs. But poorly planned automation can create new bottlenecks. APM Terminals has documented cases where automated terminals underperformed manual operations during the learning curve. Automation works best when integrated into overall berth-crane-yard optimisation, not implemented in isolation.