Yard Management System

Maersk was looking for a unique yard management system for managing their container movements, focused on the repair and maintenance activities. This new platform should be designed to help manage the movement, maintenance, repair, inspection and storage of shipping containers within a terminal. The system should help to optimize the use of available space and resources, and it should improve operational efficiency by streamlining the processes involved. When developing the new system, we should also create real-time connectivity between the back-office and the yard. That connectivity will be established by introducing the use of a tablet by the maintenance workers, equipment operators and the gate inspectors.

Business industry

Logistics

Timeframes

From 2020 onwards

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Product overview

By developing and implementing a new yard management system, a whole new opportunity came to light. It was the moment to rethink certain processes and how staff could communicate with each other to remove current obstacles. The introduction of the tablet was one of these tools that could have a great impact on their operations. The tablet would contribute to the efficiency and avoiding a lot of paperwork, that normally is processed at the end of the day by the back-office. In the new situation, the back-office will have immediate updates once activities are finished. The introduction of the tablet will have a 30% efficiency impact for the back-office and 20% impact for the yard staff. E.g. in the new situation, the gate inspector can easily inspect incoming containers and make all markings and notes direct in the system. After inspecting both parties also can do the digital sign-off and finish the inspection and notifying all parties on the spot. No more paperwork to drag along.

Innovation

Mobile devices are used at the location of the container. Inspection can be done on site and anomalies can be registered on site

Features

Containertracking
Maintenance&repair scheduling
Inventory management
Resource planning
Gate management

Functionality summary

01Appointment scheduling
02Movement tracking
03Reporting & analytics
04Location optimisation

Yard Management

Maersk wanted to decommission their existing system before the new license year would be activated, with all costs attached. That resulted in a short timeframe where we had to put all hands on deck, to make this deadline. Eventually we developed the following core functionality:

Container tracking: The system can track the movement of containers within the yard, and provide real-time visibility into container locations and statuses.
Appointment scheduling: The system can facilitate appointment scheduling for container pick-ups and deliveries, and provide alerts and notifications to stakeholders when appointments are due.
Maintenance & repair: The system can schedule all maintenance and repair activities, to prepare containers for new freight shipments.
Inventory management: The system can manage the inventory of containers within the yard, including container types, sizes, and quantities. It can also track container maintenance and repair schedules.
Resource allocation: The system can allocate yard resources such as cranes, trucks, and personnel to ensure efficient container movement and storage.
Gate management: The system can manage gate activities, including security checks, truck inspections, and container inspections.
Reporting and analytics: The system can generate reports and provide analytics on yard activity, including container movements, inventory levels, and resource utilization.

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