Global marine terminal operator DP World said it has successfully implemented a comprehensive manpower management system at its flagship Jebel Ali Port facility that marks a quantum leap in the drive for operational efficiency.

The Rostima Labour Management System (LMS) aims to effectively manage time and significantly reduce costs, said a statement from DP World UAE Region.

The system, which is fully integrated with the port’s advanced electronic berth planning and Gate Automation systems, determines the best labour deployment based on a forecast of variables such as vessel arrivals and gate appointments.

It allows for multiple what-if scenarios that can be analysed in terms of cost and labour utilisation, it added.

It is interfaced with the HR department’s time attendance readers and assigns the manpower to points of work through mobile text message notification to individual employees, matching man to machine based on real time information, cutting time of completing a single operation by as much as 30 per cent.

Mohammed Al Muallem, senior vice president and managing director, DP World UAE Region, said: 'Jebel Ali is one of the world’s first major container terminals to integrate such an all-inclusive manpower management system with the level of state-of-the-art technology that runs our operations.'

'We expect the transition from a purely manual process to automated real time planning and control of manpower to be quantum leap in the UAE Region’s drive for operational efficiency. We congratulate everyone who has made this possible,' he added.

Rostima LMS is designed to achieve operational continuity around the clock and shorten shift change delays while safeguarding employees’ interests, including optimum sleep cycles, rest periods, visibility over the roster, fair distribution of overtime and days off, meals and prayers, and even Ramadan timings.

Rashed Ali Al Qahtani, chief operating officer, DP World UAE Region, said: 'While developing a system that would eliminate wasted time and needless cost, we always kept the well-being of our people in mind.'

'Rostimar LMS is a perfect fit with DP World UAE Region’s goals of service excellence, efficiency and commitment to our people’s safety and welfare,' noted Qahtani.

'This project owes its successful completion to the collaboration and patience of the entire operational work force at Jebel Ali for well over a year. We thank them and congratulate them on a job well done,' he added.

The new system will be completely implemented in Jebel Ali terminals by the end of this year.-TradeArabia News Service