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Project Goals

Project team set following tasks:

• build a single information space based on the industry-specific e-Port solution;
• integrate government bodies, forwarders and the port's IT system into a single information platform;
• improve the efficiency of port logistics management;
• shorten lead time of documents;
• ensure the relevance of operational port information;
• increase the executive discipline in the port;
• provide transparency of procurement procedures.

Project Description

We live in times when everything is changing very quickly. The same could be said about modern business. You can recall a lot of companies that once were leaders in their niche, and today innovative start-ups come to their places. To be competitive, ports must learn to adapt: to offer exactly what the market requires at a given moment and what competitors do not have. It is important that this process of adaptation should be permanent!

The stevedoring company "Olvia" is a large port, formerly known as the Specialized Seaport "Oktyabrsk". It has been functioning since 1966 and due to the fact that the navigation period lasts all year round, it is one of the most important maritime transport hubs in Ukraine.

The port developed as a center for providing transport, industrial and commercial services. The growing needs of international trade required the development: the port turned into a hub for international production and distribution networks. Port management has set ambitious goals, which can be achieved by minimizing costs and increasing the profitability of the port: reducing port costs and reducing the time of port services.

Top management plans on optimization resources usage and on costs reduction has led to the need of an integrated IT system implementation to automate a number of planning and management tasks. For the port management it is important to know whether the infrastructure resources are fully utilized and whether the maximum return is achieved under this port load.

To solve these tasks, it was decided to implement a specialized solution for ports — e-Port.

It is consists of several functional blocks and built on the basis of the ERP-system IT-Enterprise.

• Port logistics — registration of the receipt, movement and disposal of goods. The system is intended not only for fixing actual values, but for planning the forthcoming activity, based on input data and cash orders.
• Single window is a subsystem for the exchange of electronic documents with port customers and state regulatory authorities.
• Electronic document workflow is a solution for generation, transmission and storage of electronic documents along the route, as well as for exchange with other stakeholders using any technological platform including mobile devices.
• Electronic procurement is a solution that increases the efficiency of centralized procurement of a large enterprise thanks to open tender procedures implemented in the ProZorro system through the SmartTender.biz electronic trading platform.
• Integration with Ukrzaliznytsya (UZ) is a specialized solution for the generation of transportation documents and the order for the supply of railway wagons.
• Electronic procurement is a solution that increases the efficiency of centralized procurement of a large enterprise through open tender procedures implemented in the ProZorro system through the electronic trading platform SmartTender.biz.

Among the promising tasks of this project is the implementation of financial accounting — these modules use the data of already deployed subsystems, so they should be implemented later.

The system is open, and users can enhance it, if necessary, by adding new types of documents, and by implementing new business processes. These tasks do not require the involvement of qualified IT-professionals.

Key project factors

Results

Build a single information environment

To solve the tasks, a specialized solution e-Port was built, based on the IT-Enterprise ERP system. This solution monitors the efficiency of the departments and services of the enterprise, as well as provides the management with a general picture of the state of work in the port.

The document is often approved in several port departments. Previously, the company had a paper workflow, as a result documents slowly moved through the stages, and sometimes completely lost. Now the approval of the documents is electronic, the employees do not leave their offices, the documents are not lost, and important decisions are taken faster.

Integration of state bodies, forwarders and IT-systems of the port

An important problem that had to be solved with the implementation of information system was the paperwork between the port and the regulatory authorities (the State Customs Service, the State Environmental Inspection, etc.). If earlier to approve the documents were taken to the relevant department and wasted a lot of time, the implementation of the electronic document workflow in the port and its integration with the information systems of state agencies solved this problem: time delays, unnecessary trips remained in the past.

Ensure the relevance of operational port information

One of the "highlights" of the project is the talman workplace. Previously, during the working day, the talmans entered all the operational information to their notebook, and only at the end of the day this information was transferred to the computer and became available for analysis and decision making by management. Now every talman in the port has a mobile device so he can quickly enter information into the system and receive instructions from the management. Due to this approach, the port information system always contains up-to-date operational information.

Enhance the performance in the port

Managers of the company actively use the system, even while on business trips. To access the information necessary for decision making, it is enough to have access to the Internet — the system supports many platforms including mobile.

Provide transparency of procurement procedures

All requirements of the port departments are consolidated into a single procurement plan. Thanks to the integration of the port information system with partner systems, the company purchases through the ProZorro, trades are announced on the electronic trading platform SmartTender.biz