Transnet National Ports
Authority’s (TNPA) longawaited
Integrated Port
Management System (IPMS)
will go live at the Port of
Durban on June 30.
This follows the completion
of the test phase that started
on March 31 – also in Durban.
The Port of Cape Town has
been identified as the second
port for implementation of the
system which has been in the
pipeline for just over a year
and is aimed at promoting
real and effective port
integration.
The IPMS is a web-based
end-to-end integrated
system aimed at improving
performance, productivity
and service offering, which
in turn will enhance the
competitiveness of TNPA’s
ports.
FTW earlier this year
attended a preview of the
new system which will enable
all stakeholders across the
supply chain beyond the
ports authority to share
information with each other.
According to Phumla
Ndawanwe, IPMS project
manager for TNPA, the
project will make a lot of
impact in ensuring that
there is transparency in
information and that
processes are streamlined
across the ports.
“It will provide an
integration platform for
interrelated systems within
port business,” she told FTW.
TNPA also believes that
the system
will improve
service
delivery.
The IPMS
has several
capabilities
that will
allow for this,
including
automatic
berthing
allocations,
aerial satellite
views of
the ports, the arrival and
departure times of vessels
(live and fully updated at all
times) as well as real time
service delivery statistics.
Michael Frans, who heads
up business development for
the automotive
and logistics
departments
of T-Systems
International,
earlier this
year explained
to FTW
how these
integrated
platforms
work.
T-Systems
has worked
closely with
international ports on such IT
solutions.
“Through the sharing
of data on such a platform
coordination between the
relevant stakeholders can take
place far more efficiently to
ensure the delivery of cargo.
It also goes a long way in
improving communications
between stakeholders.
All round planning and
execution improves due to the
availability of information,”
he said.
These kinds of telematics
service solutions allow for
standardised interfaces,
essentially meaning all
stakeholders – the port,
its customers and service
providers – can input and
extract data relevant to
individual entities but to the
benefit of all.
INSERT & CAPTION
All round planning
and execution
improves due to
the availability of
information.
– Michael Frans
