Dock idle time refers to the time when a vessel is alongside a dock but not actively transferring cargo. Reducing dock idle time can increase a terminal's dock utilization and allow for more vessel calls. The document provides several best practices for reducing dock idle time, including benchmarking key performance indicators, consistently logging vessel call events, identifying and addressing common delays, and promoting accountability across all stakeholders involved in the dock utilization process. After implementing these practices, one terminal was able to decrease idle time by 8% and save $600,000 per site annually, demonstrating the financial benefits of optimizing dock operations.