TNPA introduces new online order system
Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) is introducing a new order-to-cash initiative to replace its nine-year-old PortsOnline system, which customers previously used for online submission of cargo documentation.
The company says the initiative is as another step on its “journey to digitalise” the country’s ports operations. The new system is expected to go live in April 2017.
“PortsOnline had significantly reduced the manual capturing process and the time taken to conclude the online order processing cycle. The aim now is to cater for the changing needs of TNPA ports and customers by creating a better customer experience through improved visibility across various interactions with the port authority,” TNPA CFO Mohammed Abdool said.
He added that a formal project team had already started with the design of the new system and, during the course of the next few months, engagements would take place with customers and other stakeholders through existing structures, business forums and customer sessions.
The new technology will provide an e-commerce platform with advanced customer relationship management and electronically enabled customer order management on a single in-memory computing platform powered by the more modern SAP Hana.
Customers will be able to interact with TNPA across various channels, including its call centre and online. The platform also offers self-service functionality for customers, where they can log in, maintain their own profiles, place sales orders, view current credit limits and view and download invoices and statements.
TNPA executive sponsor: technical and chief information officer: information systems Mmutle Lentle said that, similar to the Integrated Port Management System (IPMS), which TNPA introduced last year, order-to-cash will see the ports authority create further visibility of port processes to enable transparency and better integrated planning between all port stakeholders.
Under the R300-billion Transnet Market Demand Strategy, TNPA is investing in various resources and technology solutions to improve the operational performance of its ports.
Recent technology advances include the IPMS, which automates key marine processes across TNPA ports, and the roll-out of port operations centres equipped with advanced information and communication technology systems.
TNPA will also introduce technologies for the management of port interfaces with rail, road and other trading partners in the ports ecosystem at a later stage.
“Global ports must embrace digital technologies and data analytics to remain competitive and to make monitoring, tracking, evaluating and optimising more efficient for both the ports authority and the customer,” TNPA CEO Richard Vallihu said.
Comments
Press Office
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation