Focus Area: Linking Port Community Systems (PCS) and Vessel Traffic Services (VTS)
Ports involved: Valencia
Company: ERShip
About
DFDS, a leading shipping and logistics company operating 10–11 times per week at the Port of Trieste, aims to optimise port calls and port stays through transparent and trusted data sharing. This use case focuses on how data transparency can help stakeholders in Lift-On/lift-off (LoLo) and Roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) operations, as well as hinterland transport (trucks and trains), optimising port calls and port stays. The goal is to take data sharing to the next level while improving departure preparation and arrival optimisation in a cross-border EU/non-EU setting.
Objective & Project Goals
The main challenges include delayed cargo arrivals, which disrupt scheduled vessel departures and require increased speeds to compensate. The prioritisation of LoLo operations over RoRo, leads to extended port stays and delays, and complex customs processes that rely heavily on physical documentation, hindering JIT operations. To overcome these challenges, DFDS is piloting a smart customs declaration process for UK imports/exports post-Brexit using blockchain technology via the TLIP infrastructure. This system is expected to streamline port entry and exit, enhance border compliance, and improve multimodal distribution while ensuring trusted data sharing among stakeholders.
Challenges & Solutions
The main challenges include inconsistent communication of timestamped registries, manual and poorly digitalised FAL form exchanges, and operational delays that affect estimated times of departure (ETDs). To address these issues, the project will analyse operational data to improve the handling of delays and port calls, as well as enhance port-to-port communication to facilitate real-time updates and replanning.
