Port Authority to Continue Web Site

A unique Port Authority Web site has been a hit with the shipping community using the Port of New York and New Jersey, and will be continued after a year’s trial, Port Commerce Director Richard M. Larrabee announced today. The Web site – known as Freight Information Real-time System for Transport or FIRST – was developed last September by Americas Systems Inc. (ASI) of Murray Hill, N.J., as part of a demonstration project for the Port Authority. Since the Web site’s launch, additional information has been added to assist port customers and more upgrades are planned in the upcoming year. Information on the site – www.firstnj.com – is collected from various sources to provide ocean carriers, exporters, importers, foreign freight forwarders, customs brokers, terminal operators and rail and truck providers with "one-stop shopping" for data they need to make decisions about cargo pickup and delivery. In addition, updates on security-related issues, as well as port operations bulletins, are posted daily on the FIRST home page. Port Commerce Director Richard M. Larrabee said, "We have seen the value of FIRST as a communications tool for the port community and believe that this ‘one-stop shopping’ Web site provides first-class customer service to all of our port tenants. We strongly encourage the entire port community – including the ocean carriers and terminal operators – to participate in FIRST to make it a success. That’s why we will use this year to continue our efforts to achieve full participation in the system so we can effectively evaluate its value to the port community." FIRST currently provides cargo information from the Global, Howland Hook and Port Newark Container Terminals, vessel arrival and departure information, and access to the Sea Link database of trucking companies who do business in the Port of New York and New Jersey. The system is being upgraded to include an online berth application process, a link with the Sandy Hook Pilots database for receipt of vessel arrival and departure information, highway traffic information, camera views of port roads, and real-time container and chassis tracking information.