Not as recently, the cargo handling industry was and is under pressure to perform in a very efficient way. The global supply chain relies on a network of terminals. These terminals depend not only on the infrastructure and the workforce of their premises but more than ever on business intelligence, analytics and data related to operations. Automation is possible, but terminals are created as closed-systems that have been custom-designed with high costs. Advances in IT and digitization have opened new potential for higher productivity when processes are connecting all equipment and systems in real-time and enable seamless data exchange.  

The key factor for the cargo handling industry is to take advantage of these technological advances. Therefore, the mission of TIC 4.0 is to promote, define and adopt standards that enable the industry to dive into the 4^th industrial revolution. This includes ports, shipping lines, freight forwarders, software providers, hardware developers and process designers. The TIC 4.0 has been endorsed by the Federation of European Private Port Companies and Terminals (FEPORT) and of the Port Equipment Manufacturers Association (PEMA). Members of the TIC 4.0 include well-known players like APM Terminals, Eurogate, Bolloré, HHLA, Navis, PSA, TIL, Yilport, among many others.

"We are very proud now to be part of such a visionary initiative like TIC4.0. Neither terminal operators nor equipment manufacturers nor software suppliers possess all data, digital skills and capabilities to win over today‘s demanding and dynamic digital transformation in the container terminal industry. Therefore we are confident that this collaborative approach of TIC4.0 is a great idea and very much worth participating in”, says Stephan Piworus, VP of Global Sales for Marine & Ports.

The membership in TIC 4.0 allows IDENTEC SOLUTIONS to participate in the definition of future technical standards and shape the way container operations will take place in the future. This is a big opportunity for IDENTEC SOLUTIONS to co-solve industry-wide challenges on its own quest to reduce wastefulness of energy and effort and increase productivity and safety in terminals.

"My vision is to have a ‚plug & play‘ environment within the container terminal industry that will break down barriers, boost innovation, reduce risks and costs and finally eliminate loose ends”, summarizes Stephan Piworus in his view of the industry’ future.