You are here:

Glossary

AGV (Automated Guided Vehicles)

It is a container trailer that is fully automated, requires absolute zero physical intervention, and is a software-controlled container trailer. It is one of the options used when fully automating a container terminal with suppliers such as Gottwald or Kalmar...

Read more …


ARTG

Automated RTG (e.g. implemented at TPKS or the new FREERIDER from KÜNZ) - Rubber tire yard crane used to automated existing brownfield terminals.

Read more …


ASC

Automated Stacking Crane (e.g. KÜNZ ASC) - Rail  mounted stacking crane ususally used for endloading Operation in automated stacks. Can be combined with ATT or shuttle carrier.

Read more …


ATT (Automated Terminal Trailers)

The ATT is an alternative to the tractor-trailer combination used for moving containers in and around terminals. It is equipped with an automatic navigation and guiding system.

Read more …


Automated Rail-Mounted Gantry Crane

An ARMG is a automated rail-mounted gantry crane usually used to stack containers in the yard or on rail cars.

Read more …


BAPLIE

BAPLIE stands for BAyPLan Including Empties. The BAPLIE message is a widely used EDIFACT message in the shipping industry. It is used by and between various parties to advise the exact stowage positions of the cargo on board of an ocean vessel. It is currently chiefly used for container cargo.

Read more …


Berth at a terminal quay

The quay, which is also referred to as a wharf, is divided into berths that are typically about 300m to 400m in length. Some may be shorter or longer this usualy depends what kind of vessels are berthing at the terminal. Also refer to berth planning.

Read more …


Berth Planning

The planning of vessel calls, vessel port calls in time and space, berth, berth configuration, providing easy visibility and planning/re-planning controls, highlighting planning conflicts like overlapping berths, overlapping departure and arrival, conflicting vessel and berth draft, suitable vessel types and more...

Read more …


CHE - Container Handling Equipment

Cargo handling equipment (CHE) at ports and rail yards generally includes yard tractors, cranes, forklifts, container handlers (e.g., top picks and side picks), and bulk handling equipment, such as tractors, loaders, dozers, excavators, and backhoes.

Read more …


Cloud computing

Cloud computing is the dynamic allocation of computing resources and their flexible use to enable new business models and use the economic of scale. Simple speaking, you could also say, the servers are just somewhere else and there are much more than in your own basement...

Read more …


Cloud TOS

A true cloud TOS is simply, a terminal operating system that operates entirely on the cloud and provides a terminal with tools to manage and monitor the operations exercised in a terminal, through a web browser. For more information, refer to Cloud-Based TOS definition.

Read more …


Combined Transport

The combined transport (CT or German KLV) is the combination of multiple modes of transport to brings goods to the customer usually from seaports to inland destinations. The transport needs to combine at least two modes from rail, inland waterways (barges) and truck. The CT is very much supported by the EU.

Read more …


Container Depot

A container depot is a storage area for empty shipping containers. A container depot can be located within a container terminal, within the overall port facility or within the hinterland as an ICD inland container depot.

Read more …


Container Terminal Design

Due to the immense speed and relentlessness of growth of international trade and the fact that major parts of the cargo is transported via sea vessels there is an increasing demand for additional terminal capacity by setting up new terminal facilities or by extending existing ones.

Read more …


Container Terminal Management System

Container terminals are very complex and also highly capital intensive. They have to be well managed in order to realize their potential capacity and to deliver a reasonable level of efficiency and service performance to their customers. A good management system cannot be done without IT system(s) – in case of container terminals it is a normally a TOS system.

Read more …


Container Terminal Operation System

A container terminal operating system is a solution managing the core processes of a ctr terminal. Usually it has two core components with a adminstration, foundation system and a graphical planning and execution system. A true TOS should be able to handle the key processes of a terminal as an integrated solution from data...

Read more …


Container Terminal Planning

The container shipping industry, the backbone of the global economy supply chain, continues to grow, to adapt, and to change. It is without controversy that the containerization has become the preferred mode for maritime shipping and inland transportation. It is also evident that the rapid growth in foreign trade using sea going...

Read more …


Container Terminal Simulation

Terminal simulation systems are software applications of simulation technology for decision making processes on the strategic and design level – including the planning of new terminals (greenfield) as well as expansion or reorganization of existing terminals (brownfield).

Read more …


DGPS - Differential Global Positioning System

Differential Global Positioning System („Global Positioning System (with) Differential (Signal)“) Please refer to: Positioning System

Read more …


EDIFACT

EDIFACT stands for Electronic Data Interchange For Administration, Commerce and Transport (UN/EDIFACT) and is the international EDI standard developed under the supervision of the United Nations.

Read more …


Gate Operating System

A Gate Operating System (GOS) is software specifically developed to manage and steer complete gate processes and sub-processes, which are active in modern terminal operations.

Read more …


HHT - Hand Held Terminal

Hand-Held terminals are commonly used on container terminals at various locations and processes, such as the tally man at the waterside to register load and discharge, the gate checker clerk to perform the p-check at the gate...

Read more …


ICD – Inland Container Depot

An Inland Container Depot (also known as ICD) is a container handling and storage facility situated at inland points away from sea ports. Inland Container Depots help importers and exporters to handle their shipments near their location...

Read more …


Integrated Shipping Terminal Management System

An integrated shipping terminal management system is an IT system to manage marine terminal operations, integrating all the core functions of a terminal: gate operations, yard management, vessel operations (such as registration, berthing and pilotage), rail operation, general and dry cargo operations...

Read more …


Intermodal Terminal Management System

Intermodal freight terminals play a key role within multimodal transport. The transit time through these terminals represents one of the most relevant bottlenecks in logistic chains. They are using multiple modes of transport (rail, vessel and truck) without any handling of the freight itself when changing modes (no value added services)...

Read more …


Invoicing System

The container terminal business consists of a wide scope of individual services which are provided to the customers (liners) and which need to be charged with individual prices and/or standard tariffs. The invoicing can be made for individual vessels or based on liners or services...

Read more …


KPI – Key Performance Indicator

A regular measurement based on data, which indicates the performance of a process or a business line...

Read more …


LLPOD - Load List Port of Discharge

This is the discharge port for a container, listed on the COPRAR load list, which is send to the terminal. The COPRAR load list is processed by the TOPO and passed on to the TopX, where it is used to create a vessel load list.

Read more …


Marine Terminal System

A marine terminal system – by definition a Terminal Operating System (TOS) – is an essential tool within a marine terminal or port to manage and control the movement and storage of various types of cargo (container, break bulk/project cargo, liquid bulk, etc.)

Read more …


MDT - Mobile Data Terminal

Mobile Data Terminal (Radio Frequency Equipment)

Please refer to: HHT – Handheld Terminal

Read more …


MOVINS

An EDIFACT standard stowage instruction message which is sent by the vessel to the Vessel Planner prior to her arrival. This message contains the pre-plan information for loading the vessel.

Read more …


Port community system (PCS)

A PCS is a port community system that is used in ports to bring the communication from a bilateral to a multi-lateral approach. One PCS provider is the dbh Logistics IT AG. The IPCSA is the association of the international port community system provider. The main objective is to be able to shape the communication between numerous existing...

Read more …


Positioning System

The increasing growth of international trade requires continuous improvements of terminal infrastructure and operational efficiency at container terminals and port facilities. Due to this development efficient container handling and equipment management, safety and increasing automation are playing important roles...

Read more …


Real-Time Terminal Operating System

A real time terminal operating system (TOS) provides the complete picture of what’s actually going on in real-time throughout port or terminal facilities.

Real time data is available at any time without any delay for uploading and/or downloading data between server and client – including operations optimization...

Read more …


Reefer Monitoring System

A system, which automatically captures the inside temperature of a reefer container, records it and reports any deviations from the set reefer temperature to the TOS or e.g. to the reefer workshop.

Read more …


RMG - Rail Mounted Gantry

A specialized yard container crane. A RMG travels on rails to lift containers in the yard area. The containers are lifted by a spreader, which is attached to the RMG with cables. RMGs come in a variety of makes and models with different spans and dimensions.

Read more …


RTG - Rubber Tyred Gantry Crane

A specialized yard container crane. A RTG travels on wheels to lift containers in the yard area. The containers are lifted by a spreader, which is attached to the RMG with cables. RTGs come in a variety of makes and models with different spans and dimensions.

Read more …


STS Crane

Ship-to-shore crane for a terminal. Used to load and unload vessels that are berthed at the terminal. Usually STS cranes can deliver a higher perfromance than mobile harbour cranes, but are less flexible in deployment because they run on rails along the quay side. Often also called quay cranes (QC).

Read more …


TEU - Twenty Feet Equivalent Unit

Twenty Feet Equivalent Unit is a unit of measure equivalent to a 20 feet container.

Read more …


TOPO - Terminal Operations Package - Office/Oracle

The Terminal Operations Foundation System. It is the the backend for the Gate, Billing and Management Information Systems.

The Foundation System can be any system that interfaces with TOPX through the message interface and is the system...

Read more …


TOPS - Terminal Operations Package - System

This is the name of the total RBS software package, which includes TOPX and TOPO. TOPS is a computerized container tracking and management system for the handling containers at a container terminal.

Read more …


TOPX - Terminal Operations Package - XWindows

This module, an RBS made Real-time Graphical Planning, Control and Monitoring System, deals with the tracking, storing and managing of container movements into, within and out of the terminal yard. The module also includes a fully integrated Radio Frequency communications system...

Read more …


VERMAS

A new SOLAS directive from 07/01/2016 requires a certified gross weight of export containers. The new EDI message VERMAS should be used for this purpose. In relation to a supply chain including the transport of a packed container on an ocean vessel, the Verified Gross Mass message (VERMAS) permits to...

Read more …


Vessel Planning

Vessel planning mainly involves planning, executing and monitoring the loading and discharging operations of vessels at a terminal / port.

The most important objective of vessel planning is to plan the vessel discharge and loading operations...

Read more …