TOS for Grain terminal

GENERAL INFORMATION:

TYPE	Grain terminal. Acceptance of grain carriers, bulk cargo export, container account
Storage volume	~2500 TEU
Types of containers	Empty, loaded, refrigerators
Types of vehicles	Grain carriers
Types of CHE	Reach stackers, Cranes
Types of cargo	Different types of cargo.
Departments	Acceptance and Delivery, repair crew, accounting, storage/warehousing
Region	South regions of the Russian Federation

IMPLEMENTED SOLUTIONS:

	BEFORE / AFTER
Software	No software	SaaS – cloud platform
Type of communication with clients and document exchange	Email	ContCloud platform with a built-in module for correspondence and communication with customers.
Repair and confirmation	Email, phone	The visual editor of defective statements with photo records and notes. The solution provides other functionality, such as budget forwarding and approval via the system interface and repair cancellation in the client's Personal Cabinet.
Accounting department	1C	Automated storage time calculation accounts for the free storage days based on each stock's individual tariff scale. The system automatically synchronizes data with 1C.
Acceptance-Delivery	Paper-based databases and tables	Fast Excel spreadsheets import for containers waiting for arrival to the terminal (they are automatically assigned the "Awaiting" status). The system generates tally receipts for the received cargo and containers. Turnover reports can be generated based on pre-set time periods.
Acceptance of grain carriers	The data about incoming and outgoing equipment is managed manually	We have integrated an automatic number-plate recognition system (ANPR) that detects all incoming grain carriers and adds them to the database automatically.
Reporting	Reports are made in Excel spreadsheets. This took a significant part of the day for operators and managers.	Container data exchange for larger operators (like Maersk, CMA, COSCO) via EDI and API. In addition to that, the system automatically notifies other operators about the container's availability weekly.
Customer interaction	The client can’t see the number of containers on the terminal. He also doesn’t have information about containers’ conditions and can’t see photos of defects. All communications are done via email. As a result, the terminal and a client tend to lose a line of through during conversations.	The client has a personal account, which displays real-time information about containers, degree of defects and their complexity (with photo evidence). The client can see his previous requests for Acceptance and Delivery. The system allows the user to create a request in the Personal Cabinet and view his previous applications. There is now a “Repairs” section, which allows clients to see the repair status and completion report (with photos). In addition to this, there is now a database for grain carriers that allows users to filter data based on various dates and parameters. The databases account for the date of fumigation, grading and moisture rates, weight parameters, and other statistics.
Storage area	No map or identifiable storage addresses	Users can access a 2D map to see exact locations of zones, sectors and stack divisions. Reach stacker drivers can see the assigned movement tasks and the next container's exact coordinates they need to lift.
3D visualization	No 3D visualization	We have developed a 3D map for containers with a convenient search and filtering for storage zones and sectors.

RESULTS:

Our company has successfully implemented the container management system at the terminal. The container accounting system was simplified significantly. The terminal now has a structured record system for incoming and outgoing grain carriers. We have developed a system that helps to unload containers in silos or directly to other containers. There's now an automated system that calculates the storage costs. A system for generating turnover reports has been integrated. The terminal now features a Personal Cabinet where owners of grain carriers and containers can access turnover reports. We have excluded the human factor that led to unexpected penalties and revenue losses due to errors made by operational staff. The efficiency of the Acceptance and Delivery department has increased by 60%. Clients now need significantly less time to create request or send new messages to terminal operators. The implementation of innovative information exchange tools via API and EDI led to a rise in the client’s loyalty and satisfaction rates (including global scale operators like CMA and Maersk).

The client has gained a direct advantage by improving the cost-effectiveness of his business. The client also gains indirect benefits by reducing the human element involvement and time spent on analyzing mistakes made by personnel. At the same time, the terminal’s management has received full-scale analytic tools, which increased all departments' efficiency.