CICT launches country’s first mobile app to track movement of containers

Friday, 1 July 2016 00:25 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Untitled-3 A new level of convenience and sophistication has been introduced to keeping track of containerised cargo by Colombo International Container Terminals (CICT) with the launch of a mobile app for the purpose.

A first for Sri Lanka’s port industry, CICT’s ‘eZPort’ app for smartphone users can be downloaded free from the App Store or Android Play store, and enables users to access key information pertaining to the despatch and arrival of containers from and to the CICT-managed South Terminal of the Port of Colombo.

In its first phase, the new app provides information such as Vessel Schedule which includes detailed information such as vessel name and voyage, Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA), Estimated Time of Berth (ETB) and Estimated Time of Completion (ETC); Full Container Load (FCL) opening time; details of nominated container; status and position of the truck; demurrage and storage charges due and Equipment Interchange Receipt (EIR) details.

“Access to all of this information via a smartphone is a significant advancement in convenience over the existing on-line access,” CICT CEO Ray Ren said. “But this too is the just the first phase of the app. We hope to offer much more as the app is developed further.”

He said the envisaged evolution of CICT eZPort would encompass Mobile Booking in phase II, Mobile Payments in phase III and personalised customer services in phase IV.

“With the rapid increase in the use of smartphones, the CICT mobile app will increase in versatility and value. CICT will continue to add new services of eZport as a value addition for our customers as part of our commitment to be the best service provider in the Colombo Port,” Ren said.

He added that eZPort is also intended to provide Business Intelligence and paperless solutions to CICT customers in addition to efficient information access and real-time terminal services.

CICT eZPort is the second IT-facilitated customer service introduced by the company in the past two months. In May, CICT became the first terminal operator in the Port of Colombo to implement ‘e-Boat Notes’ in collaboration with Sri Lanka Customs, breaking new ground in efforts to reduce paper in export documentation.

CICT, which commenced full operations in April 2014, manages the Colombo South terminal of the Port of Colombo, the first and currently the only deep water terminal in South Asia equipped with facilities to handle the largest vessels afloat. The company ended FY 2015 with an impressive 1.561 million TEUs, with the ULCC (Ultra Large Container Carrier) and VLCC (Very Large Container Carrier) segments making a 67% contribution to that volume. A member of CMHI, the world’s second largest global terminal operator by throughput, CICT has access to a network of 72 terminals operated and invested in by CMHI across the globe, none of which are in any form of competition with the Port of Colombo.