Real-time customer container tracking launched for APM Terminals Algeciras

APM Terminals is extending the capabilities and geographical footprint of Track and Trace, which provides customers with more visibility on their containers. By end of 2019, the website functionality is targeted to go live on 12 additional terminals and cover inland services locations.

Initially launched in North American terminals, Track and Trace gained traction in 2018 when it rolled out in Algeciras in Spain; Cotonou, Benin; Gothenburg, Sweden; Itajai and Pecem in Brazil; Moin, Costa Rica; and Monrovia, Liberia.

APM Terminals Head of Digital Customer Solutions John Trenchard explains, “Our customers are asking for increased visibility at our port facilities as a critical interface in their supply chains. APM Terminals is able to deliver tremendous value to our customers with the expansion of Track and Trace capabilities on apmterminals.com. This foundational functionality is a key component of the Maersk vision as it presents up-to-date information on their shipments to optimise their supply chains.”

What it does

With Track and Trace, customers can get real-time data on their containers by using the container number, the booking number supplied by the shipping company or the bill of lading number as a reference. This includes container arrival and discharge from a vessel, verified gross mass (VGM) assignment, delivery to an intermodal connection, availability for pick-up and exiting the terminal.

Track and Trace offers information on real-time vessel schedules with cargo cut-off time. It also provides customs clearance status for up to 50 containers at a time using the container number or the bill of lading. While the customs clearance status covers customs holds for fumigation or documentation, this capability varies per location as specific terminals may have different types of holds in place.

Customer benefits and the road ahead

Wiebe-Jan Kloosterman, Global Product Manager for Track and Trace, says that thousands of APM Terminals customers have been using the functionality daily. Usage is particularly high in the U.S. and Sweden.

Track and Trace is one of the most requested items among APM Terminals customers according to the results of the 2018 customer satisfaction survey. The survey, which had a total of 1,757 respondents, also revealed that customers want to get container status updates and vessel schedules online.

Kloosterman adds that more upgrades to the Track and Trace are in the pipeline as part of the ongoing complete rebuild of the APM Terminals, which will be launched within Q1 2019. These upgrades will include the following features:

• Additional information, especially for export containers
• Improved designs
• Ability to export data to Microsoft Excel
• More flexibility to tailor the Track and Trace solution to local market requirements
• Mobile device optimisation
• Terminal Alerts for more visibility on terminal operations

“We will continue to invest on developing iterations of Track and Trace to make it more dynamic and to meet evolving customer needs,” concludes Wiebe-Jan Kloosterman.