Located directly at the open sea, CSP Zeebrugge (+1M TEU) is very close to the main shipping routes in North Western Europe and can cater for the largest container vessels in the world. It is a coastal port with excellent hub capabilities to the UK, Ireland, Scandinavia and the Baltic region. Camco installed and supports CSP Zeebrugge Truck OCR portal, Gate and LSTP kiosks as well as the GOS system. With the migration to the new Navis N4 TOS, Camco upgraded and integrated the GOS into the TOS. In a later stage the existing VBS system was replaced by Camco’s new Vehicle Booking System.
UPGRADING EXISTING VBS SYSTEM
Since Camco had already implemented the automated gate system and GOS, Camco was asked for its upgrading. CSP Zee-brugge took more time to check other VBS providers before finally awarding this contract to Camco. Since the Camco team was working already on the GOS upgrade, the same team could speed up VBS integration allowing VBS to be ready before the planned Go Live.
VBS SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING
After signing the agreement, the CSP project team and Camco’s business analysts started mapping the existing process flows, defining GOS/TOS and VBS/TOS requirements, and mapping the new process flows. Subsequently Camco software developers designed the new VBS application which was tested thoroughly before implementation. Process flows were reviewed and more tests were performed and test results double checked. After training the operators and informing all stakeholders of the VBS benefits, the VBS solutions went live.
A CUSTOMER-ORIENTED SOLUTION
Freighters and trucking companies were initially reluctant to the change. Based on their feedback additional adjustments were made to make the tool even more user-friendly. Once the community adopted the new technology, the complaints disappeared. Soon users started to experience the benefits: a big improvement in creating appointments and faster truck turnaround times.
For CSP Zeebrugge, the new VBS solution is a success as well: with the VBS, most of the pick up or drop off information is prefilled in the TOS, reducing the number of mistakes at the gate, limiting the need and time of solving issues by gate controllers and reducing customer service resources.
OFFERING MORE FLEXIBILITY TO TRUCK DRIVERS
To allow maximum flexibility to the drivers and to further reduce the gate processing time, CSP will integrate the Camco VBS mobile app in a next automation step. The free mobile app (Android and iOS) must be activated using a token, to be obtained at the CSP registration desk. The token will be linked to the driver’s Mifare ID card, allowing him to swipe his card at the gate to link his pre-announcement with the visit at the gate. The VBS mobile app will allow truck drivers to check alerts, modify tasks and complete missing information from the cabin as well as better organize tasks, offering more flexibility and efficiency.
GOS REQUIREMENTS
- Avoid delays in the different gate stages especially the ingate stage
- Minimize the required actions for truck drivers
- Solutions for possible miss-picks
VBS REQUIREMENTS
- Reduce input from transport companies
- Minimize the risk of mistakes
- Optimize user friendliness in creation
- Facilitate working with ERO, EDO, open refs
“Good cooperation between involved partners is key. As the VBS needs to be integrated into the TOS, in this case Camco and Navis, direct communication was helpful to speed up implementation,”
CSP Zeebrugge
- Capacity: 1 Million+ TEU/year
- 7 Super post-panamax ZPMC gantry cranes
- 2.340 m of rail tracks
STAKEHOLDERS FEEDBACK : ECS TECHNICS
ECS (belonging to the group ECS2XL) is a 45ft container intermodal logistics operator specializing in transport between the UK and Ireland and mainland Europe, stretching as far as Turkey. With 8.500 45ft high cube containers, 30.000 m2 warehouse capacity and 255.000 full container loads (FCL) per year, it is among the largest logistics operators in Belgium, located just 1 mile from the CSP Zeebrugge terminal. 25 regional truck drivers perform up to 50 hauls per day between the terminal, the ECS logistics center or its clients.
Jan Kennof, one of the routing planners, uses the VBS system on a daily basis. “For ECS Technics, the migration to the new CSP vehicle booking system went smooth, since we were already accustomed to the CSP VBS for almost 20 years. We were informed about the system upgrade well in advance, received detailed training on system changes and got notified of the go live. In the VBS upgrade, for every booking, the driver and license plate have to be pre-registered too, allowing us to track which driver picked or dropped a specific container. Always easy for quick checks when needed. Personally, I am convinced the VBS is a performant operational planning tool and pretty sure it improves overall terminal safety and security as well.”
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