Case. Port terminal

GENERAL INFORMATION:

TYPE	Port terminal. Acceptance/Delivery: Port, AUTO
Storage volume	~2500 TEU
Types of containers	Empty, loaded, refrigerators,
Types of cargo	Different types of cargo
Departments	Acceptance and Delivery, repair crew, accounting, storage/warehousing
Region	Far East, Russia

IMPLEMENTED SOLUTIONS:

	BEFORE / AFTER
Software	Lack of software	SaaS - cloud platform
Type of communication with clients	Email, phone	LogProfit platform with a built-in module for correspondence and communication with customers.
Change of container ownership	No such functionality	Solution based on the LogProfit platform. Change of ownership is done on request inside the system interface.
Repair and confirmation	Communication via email. The repair lists are prepared, scanned and sent to the client manually for further approval.	The visual editor of defective statements with photo records and notes. The solution provides other functionality, such as budget forwarding and approval via the system interface and repair cancellation in the client's Personal Cabinet.
Accounting department	Manual calculation of the storage time and costs.	Automated storage time calculation that accounts for the free storage days based on each stock’s individual tariff scale.
Acceptance-Delivery	Databases and tables are maintained using Google services	Fast Excel spreadsheets import for containers that are waiting for arrival to the terminal (they are automatically assigned the "Awaiting" status). The system generates tally receipts for the received cargo and containers. Turnover reports can be generated based on pre-set time periods.
General cargo and other shipments	Lack of a proper accounting system. Accounting is done through routine paperwork.	We implemented the interface for accounting various cargo types. Acceptance and Delivery happen via the service interface. The system supports different reporting tools in PDF and Excel formats.
Reporting	Reports are made in Excel spreadsheets, which took a significant part of the operators’ and managers’ day.	Container data exchange for larger operators (like Maersk, CMA, COSCO) via EDI and API. The system also automatically notifies other operators about the container's availability every week.
Customer interaction	The client can’t see the number of containers on the terminal. He also doesn’t have information about containers’ conditions and can’t see photos of defects. All communications are done via email. As a result, the terminal and a client tend to lose a line of through during conversations.	The client has a personal account, which displays real-time information about containers, degree of defects and their complexity )with photo evidence). The client can see his previous requests for Acceptance and Delivery. The system allows the user to create a request in the Personal Cabinet and view his previous applications.
Storage area	There wasn’t any map or identifiable storage addresses	Users can access a 2D map to view precise locations of zones, sectors and stack divisions. Reach stacker drivers can see the assigned movement tasks and the exact coordinates of the next container they need to lift.

RESULTS:

We have successfully implemented the container management system at the terminal. The container accounting system was simplified significantly. There's now an automated system that calculates the storage costs. A system for generating turnover reports has been integrated. We also built the tallyman reporting system to account for container Acceptance and Delivery. The Acceptance / Delivery request processing was streamlined as well. We have managed to exclude the human factor that led to unexpected penalties and revenue losses. The terminal system now has a personal account for customers' convenience. The efficiency of the Acceptance and Delivery department has increased by 60%. Clients now need significantly less time to create request or new messages. The implementation of innovative information exchange tools via API and EDI led to a rise in the client’s loyalty and satisfaction rates (including global scale operators like CMA and Maersk).