New tech system fine-tunes port charges

Transnet National Ports
Authority (TNPA) has
introduced a new technology
system that integrates marine,
port terminals, road and rail
services to ensure an efficient
and visible transport supply
chain.
It also provides a more
accurate port charge picture
as it prevents missing charges,
over-charging and undercharging
and any other
potentially fraudulent charges
through comprehensive and
transparent vessel monitoring.
General manager:
strategy at TNPA, Nico
Walters, told delegates at
last week’s Special Interest
Group (SIG) Transport
Forum in Midrand
that there was a need
to introduce the eLTE
Technology Connected
Ecosystem to ensure
operational transparency
and integration across the
supply chain.
“The recent Deloitte &
Touche 10th State of Logistics
Survey for South Africa
highlighted that transport
infrastructure remained the
key for performance in the
transport sector, with survey
participants pointing out that
efficiency of ports, the cost
of transport, and ineffective
processes and systems were
some of the top constraints to
doing business,” said Walters.
“Technology is changing
the way that organisations
operate and one of the global
drivers that will shape the
future of ports and shipping is
digitalisation
of logistics.”
He said that
this new
technology
would assist
all Transnet
operations
to digitalise
information
streams,
optimise
the use of
infrastructure
and eliminate
unnecessary transport
movements at the ports.
Mmutle Lentle, GM:
information management
systems at TNPA, pointed out
that some of the operational
constraints at the ports and
terminals – such as poor berth
planning, missed slots and
high cargo dwell time – had
been addressed through this
system.
“You simply can’t manage
operations properly if you
don’t measure them and this
system provides end-to-end
port value chain visibility and
near real-time information of
port activity,” he said.
Lentle added that this
included real-time vessel
monitoring, which improved
safety management. The
system also
provides a
more accurate
estimated
time of arrival
(ETA) for
vessels.
“By
knowing the
accurate ETA,
the berthing
conditions,
loading and
discharging
plan and
stowage information,
through video monitoring
the vessel dispatcher can
create a more efficient
vessel dispatching plan,”
commented Lentle.
He pointed out that it
provided a far more accurate
picture of the charges and
Transnet could provide the
vessel tracking service at a
charge to the shipping agent,
freight forwarder, shipper
(cargo owner) and shipping
line using the platform.
INSERT
One of the global
drivers that will shape
the future of ports and
shipping is digitalisation
of logistics.
– Nico Walters
CAPTION
TNPA’s Nico Walters addresses delegates at last week’s Special Interest Group (SIG) Transport Forum in Midrand