DP World adds new logistics app to streamline port movements

Dubai Ports World’s Thames wing, DP World London Gateway, has unveiled its latest tool called “Where’s My Container” (WMC), an app created to help stakeholders in the logistics space track their freight, the Handy Shipping Guide reported. DP World London Gateway announced the app on the first day of the Multimodal Exhibition in England.

The presentation was spear-headed by Chris Lewis, MD and CEO of DP World London Gateway, at the company’s cafe stand.

Real-time tracking helps lower the cost of moving shipments, which is the goal of the WMC app. The app continues to evolve and currently provides location and status. WMC is still in the trial phase.

The need for precise shipment tracking opens the opportunity for fewer unexpected expenditures due to route changes and time wasted. These factors often contribute to delivery delays.

Once WMC is ready to launch, it will be released in 3 phases:

Phase 1: DP World London Gateway referred to this phase as the “Free to Air: product. For DP World’s main British ports, it provides boxes sorted by port, container status and more. It is available now.

Phase 2: This phase is called WMC Premium and contains the enhanced information messages relevant to the containers being shipped. While this phase is free, it will be free of charge only up to 90 days after which the early adopters may be charged for using this version. It can display data from the VPS bookings to discharge details from which ship and client list transacted on the port based on container delivery history. This phase is set to be released by summer of 2018.

Phase 3: Dubbed DP World London Gateway’s grand plan, it was described as the WMC EDI. This phase involved faster exchange of messages through a two-way interface. This two-way interface makes it possible for the company using the WMC EDI to operate through a direct link to the customer’s SAP system. This phase is expected to be out by autumn of 2018.

Many of the tweaks applied to the phases of the WMC are based on customer feedback, according to Lewis. He added, “Customers drive our business, and efficient VPS is necessary to avoid congestion. We currently average 35 minutes turnaround time for each truck, which carries a typical load of 1.6 TEU. That means an average time for each box of around just 20 minutes. We feel in the past ports like us focused on ship turnaround time. The influx of larger vessels means landslide activities have assumed more importance, therefore DP World is expanding its core reach into logistics.”