Haifa replaces 20-year-old TOS

- The Israeli Port of Haifa is to replace its 20-year-old container management system with a Navis SPARCS N4 Terminal Operating System (TOS) during the second half of this year.

The web-based TOS will govern the movement of all container logistics and operations from gate to yard and to vessel. SPARCS N4 will offer improved customer support, increased stacking yard capacity and greater control over resources.

The port’s container facilities include the Western, Eastern, Carmel and Kishon terminals. Currently the Carmel terminal is being used only as a storage area, but will become the port’s newest and most advanced container terminal later in 2010.

Located on the country’s northern coast in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, the Port of Haifa is the main gateway for Israeli trade and has expanded over the years to become the largest container handling port in Israel.

In 2008, three of its terminals – Eastern, Western and Kishon - handled a total throughput of 1.25m teus, which is expected to increase to 2.5m teus in the coming years, once the new Carmel container facility is fully operational.

“With the benefit of SPARCS N4 we expect to have better control on container management, improved productivity and offer better services to our customers. We want to be more accessible and transparent, allowing customers to interact with our IT systems,” said the port’s chief information officer, Uri Regev.

(Source: Container Management)