New port invoicing system sets sail

Ray Smuts COREBIS, THE fully-integrated invoicing system announced to media fanfare some 18 months ago, is about to be introduced in the Ports of Cape Town and Durban. South African Port Operations (SAPO) announced last week that the "revolutionary" system engineered to ensure effective and efficient operations at various ports would go "live" this month (March), amid doubts by the lines who say they are still testing the system. SAPO says COREBIS allows each shipping line to receive one invoice per ship for all containers handled within one or two working days of the vessel having completed loading or having sailed. On landing, the operational computer system automatically updates the invoicing module and immediately prepares a proposed invoice for each shipping line controlling containers on board. Once this process is complete and checked for accuracy, either a paper or electronic invoice can be printed and delivered to individual shipping lines, all information being automatically extracted from the operational system and accurately installed in SAPOÕs financial systems. COREBIS complements the COSMOS computer system put into place two years ago to re-engineer operational processes to meet international standards, related in the main to optimising utilisation of container stacking areas.