Tens of thousands of port users have downloaded Transnet Port Terminals’ new mobile application but it seems transporters and other port users are yet to maximise use of the service.
Transnet Port Terminals ICT department IT portfolio manager Adri Clayton held a formal workshop on TPT’s innovative “Spotlight” application in Durban yesterday, which she said Transnet had to date only promoted internally via its call centre and email campaigns to customers. The app was launched in July 2016.
“In the last three months, we have had 17 300 downloads,” she said. “We don’t know who is using it but usage of the track and trace feature has quadrupled in the past four months based on the number of queries we have received in our call centre.”
Clayton said the application gave users access to information that was uploaded directly from the Navis system, enabling transporters to track and trace the position of trucks and containers within the port system.
Durban Harbour Carriers’ Association chairperson Sue Moodley said the app was an “excellent” development that would improve communication between transporters and the ports with potential for HOPS to be added at a later stage so that vessels and truckers could communicate for greater transparency.
“Many transporters have the app on their phones but they haven’t used it yet,” she said.
Moodley said she would promote the app to the industry as it would improve communication and help to address the ongoing concerns over congestion at Durban port.
Several transport firm operations managers who downloaded the app for the first time at the workshop said they were looking forward to trying out the service for the first time.
