In cooperation with various haulage companies, the German port and terminal operator Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) has further developed the slot booking process for truck transports in the Port of Hamburg with the introduction of Truck FIT.
“With the introduction of the slot-booking process and the Truck FIT system updates, we are continually improving the processes at the Hamburg terminals,” pointed out Jens Hansen, chief operating officer of HHLA.
He added, “This reduces the amount of time trucks spend at the terminal and thus relieves public infrastructure. Collaborating with the haulage companies has enabled us to further develop the system based on the needs of the users and brought us closer to our common goal: the transparent and reliable allocation of slots.”
System updates were made in close coordination with the transport companies involved. One of them was Stuhr Container Logistic, a Hamburg haulage company that was involved in the planning and implementation from the start of the project.
“In the beginning, we were skeptical about the adjustments in the system because we feared that the flexibility that is so important for our business would be lost. However, through our role as a development partner, we were able to voice our concerns transparently from the start. The HHLA project team entered into dialogue with us and always found suitable solutions for us,” commented Heiner Stuhr, managing partner of Stuhr Container Logistic, on Truck FIT.
“We now have more bookable slots available at short notice than before the adjustment, which has a positive effect on our business,” added Heiner Stuhr.
HHLA began the update of the system with the introduction of Truck FIT in early 2022, as the no-show rate – the percentage of unused slots – had increased significantly. With the system update, carriers with a very high no-show rate will be offered a limited number of slots during peak hours next week.
At the same time, slots can still be booked freely during off-peak times.
Since the end of June, it has no longer been possible to exchange slots that have already been booked. As a final step, transparency in the system is to be further increased by specifying the respective throughput times at the terminals.
“We are very grateful to all the project partners involved, such as the Stuhr company, for supporting HHLA in introducing Truck FIT despite the currently difficult general conditions. The current situation, in particular, makes it clear how important it is that the parties affected by supply chain disruptions work together and look for solutions together,” noted Oliver Dux, CEO of Container Terminal Altenwerder (CTA).
