Dispatch, Communicate or Send SMS Messages without Power or Wired Internet
Harbor Watch Maritime Information System merges digital technology with the workflow processes of a brick-and-mortar hiring hall... provides new ways to mitigate the risks associated with seaport congestion, severe weather, COVID-19, flooding, earthquakes and power outages.
With the click of a mouse or a tap on a SmartPhone employers, union officials and dispatchers are able to communicate instantly with labor in any Seaport ...without electricity or wired internet. The Harbor Watch SmartScheduler provides five separate text message options from the Hiring Board:
- VOIP from the Hiring Board
- SMS to individual members
- SMS to gangs working a particular ship, gate or warehouse
- SMS to members scheduled and dispatched
- SMS messages to groups large or small
In 2020 the Gulf Coast states experienced six named hurricanes, flooding, power outages and even an Arctic storm. During these and other natural disasters, the web-based dispatch applications deployed by Harbor Watch could have added even more value to the maritime industry.
The Winter of 2023 was particularly bad on the West Coast. Snow, freezing rain, flooding. Harbor Watch creates a "virtual hiring hall." ILWU members could have made good use of Harbor Watch in 2023
Harbor Watch Sends 3000 Text Messages to Port Workers in One Hour
Wed, June 14th 2017, 10:34 PM EDT
Charleston, S.C. Port terminal evacuated as Coast Guard investigates 'dirty bomb' threat
Coast Guard officials confirmed Wednesday that Port of Charleston employees had been evacuated at the Wando terminal and part of the Wando and Cooper Rivers were closed to boat traffic because of a 'dirty bomb' threat aboard a container ship.
During the early evening of Wednesday, June 14th, Coast Guard issued evacuation order for Wando terminal. To manage the evacuation of Local 1422 members at the terminal without causing panic, 1422 administrator, Peaches Rouse used Harbor Watch mass-messaging feature to send 1100 text messages three times in one hour (3.000 messages)to evacuate workers into three separate staging areas.
President Kenny Riley praised Ms. Rouse and Harbor Watch for fast reaction time to a potential crisis. Later in 2017 President Riley was recognized by the national leadership of the ILA for service to his membership.