Cargo Community Systems will play a central role in supporting port and airport communities in their digital transformation. Ci5 is the flagship tool of a new generation of CCSs, designed around cutting-edge technologies like cloud computing, big data, geolocation and the internet of things (IoT) to give users a brand new experience.

The development of Ci5 has been driven by the goal of going way beyond what CCSs have been able to do up to now. Its mission is to offer innovative new services and a logistics process based on proactive management of cargo transitions, which prioritises key actions. On a single screen, users see information in the form of an Event Center or a Dashboard (or to-do list) and can use a natural language Quicksearch function. All this is built on a web-oriented architecture that uses cloud computing and web services. The aim is to save operators time in administrative tasks, so they can focus on management and supervision activities, helping users to enhance their expertise and provide higher levels of service to their customers.

A new operations-focused logistics experience

Ci5 uses geolocation data from smart object technologies, to help take issues of time and space into account. Older CCS solutions used to offer only a present and past view of activities. Ci5 improves this time factor, but most of all, helps users look ahead to events that will occur in the near future. They will be able to assess pending tasks or set priorities for tricky shipments that may soon become critical. Spatial aspects are displayed by mapping ship locations at docks and harbour terminals, with a real-time view of operations that are underway. Users can get so much closer to on-the ground realities.

Building trust

The roll-out of Ci5 will be the driving force for new organisational practices that build trust. The use of big data technologies means that constantly updated data from a variety of sources can be merged. Long-proven Business Intelligence tools give more precise and contextualised data. Users get a better view of the progress of operations performed by their upstream and downstream partners and simple access to information reduces uncertainty and doubt between organisations. Shared visibility builds trust between different players, for more robust and resilient goods transit.

Ci5 contributes to the evolution underway in many logistics professions and supports digital transformation. By building strong partnerships of trust, it enhances agility, visibility and ultimately security in the supply chain.