IMP - Better planning capabilities: Hamburg seaport transport business benefits from commissioning of the Import Platform

The clearance processes in the Port of Hamburg are set to speed up with the launch of the Import Platform (in short IMP). The IMP is an intelligent, electronic platform, enabling information to be exchanged between the parties involved faster and more or less automatically, which means the import process can be handled more efficiently overall. Early and extensive status information to all transport partners - e.g. altered ship arrivals - improves the planning and scheduling options. Follow-up processes can be initiated in a targeted manner and planned in line with resources and location. Bottlenecks, which typically result from delays and unscheduled arrivals of container ships, can be recognized in good time – in the product context - and extensively mitigated.

The Import Platform complements the service range from DAKOSY, where it is implemented in the computing centre enabling it to be accessed without any problem by all companies involved. As a single window, it supports the individual sector requirements of the carriers, quay operators, haulage and transport companies as well as all authorities involved and the relevant importers. A data pool is formed for each import process, in which all information is included under a fixed IMP reference and compiled again for all follow-up orders (official registrations, transport handling etc.). Current status information supplements the information base. Workflows can be saved as well as automated by definite follow-up processes (e.g. official registrations).

The IMP results in advantages for all transport partners. If, for example, the terminals already know before arrival of the ships when and with which transportation strategies the hinterland transport is to be carried out, a further optimization of the yard planning is possible. If the truck drivers are also informed about the readiness of the containers for collection via status information, they can synchronize their operation with the terminals. Congestion at the terminals can be reduced and the road capacity utilization improved overall. The haulage contractors are provided with a large amount of status information by the IMP, which they can use to integrate their partners more effectively in the sequences, initiate follow-up processes in a targeted fashion and inform customers.

The IMP is the result of a project groups created in 2004 comprising prestigious representatives of the Hamburg harbour economy and headed by DAKOSY. The work of the project group received an additional boost by the research program of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi) ISETEC II as part of the project "LPM – Lean Port Management".