Digital diversity
Digitalization is among the key trends of Russia’s transport industry. Introduction of IT solutions is underway in all segments of logistics chains including the stevedoring companies. However, they are only applied by some businesses. The next step is to develop a comprehensive ecosystem integrating all players of the transport industry, although this process can be hindered by sanctions.
Stevedoring companies introduce information systems to improve the rates and the quality of cargo handling, decrease paperwork, ensure prompt informing of clients and interaction with state authorities as well as to monitor the state of systems and equipment, especially that at oil terminals.
One of Russia’s largest stevedores, Delo Group, presented its own Digitalization Strategy in November 2021. It is an integral part of the Group's overall development strategy for the medium-term, until 2025, and long-term, until 2030. All planned projects and changes are structured in three key areas: "Automatization" (to improve operational efficiency); "Integration" (in order to ensure the interoperation among assets and to achieve synergies); “Data” (to create digital products and services). First of all, this is the creation and adjunction of common standards, the establishment of stable and standardized electronic data exchange within the Group's assets and with all participants in the transport industry.
At the same time, the Group, as a private entity, counts on the transparency of decisions made by the state in digitalization, and its practical support with issues beyond the competence of businesses. This includes international cooperation: economic diplomacy and regulations for logistics supply chains. Government support is vital for solving issues in the field of digital exchange of logistics and transport data with counterparties abroad, at the first stage - with neighboring states.
Digital technologies are in high demand today and they enter various processes of stevedores’ activities. For example, MSCC Bronka is engaged in integration of its access control systems (ACS) with the systems of state control authority (SCA) to ensure access of foreign economic activity participants to the check point via the web-portal of MSCC Bronka.
When speaking at the 16th technical conference “Oil terminals and oil tanks: operation, modernization and development”, Aleksandr Poskrebyshev, Head of Software Evolution Group at Petersburg Oil Terminal (POT), told about the role of digitalization in development of oil terminals. Last year, the company put into operation logistics monitoring data unit allowing for handling plan implementation control, load forecasting and decision making. In the future, the company is going to introduce a system to monitor the state of pipelines and tanks network as well as a block of maintenance and repair.
Digital interaction
Automation and introduction of IT-solutions are especially efficient for interaction between sea terminals, railway operators, cargo owners and customs. There is a good example of Sea Port of Saint-Petersburg (SP SPb) which signed an agreement with Freight One to apply a Mobile Reporter software. With this digital application, the port employees can monitor the condition of the arriving rail cars to exclude rejection at loading stations and additional empty runs for repair.
“The Novy Port rail yard is one of the key stations for Freight One in Russia’s North-West. A large number of boxcars from the East Siberian and Krasnoyarsk Railways arrive here for unloading,” says Pavel Sitalo, Director of Freight One’s St. Petersburg branch.
According to Andrei Iaroslavtsev, Managing Director, Sea Port of Saint-Petersburg, “By increasing the efficiency of the Freight One’s rolling stock, the use of this application simultaneously reduces the generation of costs due to detention of cars, and reduces the load on the port railway infrastructure.”
Having connected to Russian Railways’ logistics information system, Tuapse Sea Commercial Port (TSCP) has streamlined and synchronized its interaction with the railway. “Several years ago it became clear for us that major problems appeared at the port/railway junction. With no information we were not aware of our railcars location while the railway was not aware of the situation at the approaches and could not estimate the require intensity of unloading. Being connected to the system, we see everything on the way to us. We have also pulled up our anchor customers - Novolipetsk Steel and Kuzbassrazrezugol,” Dmitry Yerkov, Managing Director of Tuapse Sea Commercial Port, told at the conference “Infrastructure of Azov-Black Sea Basin and Azov-Don Basin Ports 2021”.
According to him, TSCP is set to implement more information projects. In particular, an information model of the cargo district is to be developed for daily plan decision making. Dmitry Yerkov says:
“It is pure mathematics. We get information on approaching trains, on availability of workforce and equipment, develop an optimal plan for a day used by dispatchers as a basis for decision making”
The terminal operation system (TOS) of Vostochanaya Stevedoring Company and ROLIS (parts of Global Ports) allows for online monitoring of all activities on handling of ships and moving of containers within the terminal as well as for current accounting and control of warehouse operations. The system provides for planning and real time control of loading/unloading of containers at the railway facilities, plans arrival and servicing of motor transport, ensures accounting and control of containers during customs inspection.
Just the beginning
Meanwhile, the general level of digitalization in Russian logistics is still very low, says Saint-Petersburg Chamber of Industry and Trade (SPb CIT). According to Anton Krivosheyev, Chairman of SPb CIT Transport and Logistics Committee, overall digitalization is low so far although 80% of logistic companies have commenced the process of their business automation.
“Automation and digitalization should be distinguished. Digitalization of business is a comprehensive ecosystem comprising automation of various processes,” commented the representative of SPb CIT.
When speaking at SPIEF 2021, RF Transport Minister Vitaly Savelyev gave the following example:
“In 2019, the number of processed transport documents including various waybills and permits for transportation of dangerous goods totaled 3.01 billion. With no digitization, this number will grow to 7 billion by 2030”.
Digitalization will certainly continue in Russia with the pandemic only facilitating the process. On the other hand, there are certain risks: sanctions impose restrictions on the access to required equipment and technologies while the outbreak of semiconductors deficit affects the availability of hardware.
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