As container terminals deal with a surge in container volumes and increased dwell times, access to real-time data is a vital tool to help speed up the flow of containers through terminals. APM Terminals is therefore accelerating its API roll-out, with greater data coverage and new APIs. An API (Application Programming Interface is a software .
Reflecting on the year’s events that have impacted the logistics industry – the Suez Canal blockage, COVID-19, and just this week a major cyclone taking out electricity supplies to the company’s terminal in Pipavav – David Francis, Head of Digital Products at APM Terminals believes that real-time data via APIs is no longer a nice .
APM Terminals builds on growing success
Reflecting on the year’s events that have impacted the logistics industry – the Suez Canal blockage, COVID-19, and just this week a major cyclone taking out electricity supplies to the company’s terminal in Pipavav – David Francis, Head of Digital Products at APM Terminals believes that real-time data via APIs is no longer a nice to have, but a necessity.
“With the unexpected becoming the norm, real-time data is becoming key to meeting customers growing expectations,” explains Francis. “Customers can be relatively understanding regarding delays, as supply chains are extremely complex. However, the complaint we hear the most is about not being kept updated. The real-time data provided by APIs can help reduce this by triggering communications to customers with updates on their cargo’s latest status.”
At the same time, existing APIs for the company’s terminals in Rotterdam Maasvlakte II, Tangier and Algeciras have been complimented by the addition of Event History and Empty Container Returns APIs