“With industry margins under pressure and decarbonisation at the top of the agenda, efficiency gains that can be achieved by accelerating the digitalisation of the port industry are essential,” says Laura Bercan, responsible for Visibility Products at APM Terminals. “By freezing prices, we want to encourage a new wave of supply chain partners to adopt a technology that can bring enormous benefits to their business.”
How APIs support the customer experience
APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) offer a standardised and secure way to enable two applications to talk to each other. APM Terminals’ industry-leading APIs would allow customers to pull real-time container and vessel status data from its Terminal Operating Systems into their internal systems, such as a Logistics or Transport Management System (TMS).
This means that customers always have the latest information at their fingertips, such as when a container will be available for pick-up, when free storage expires, or when an appointment is available. Having this level of visibility can shave time pressure off supply chains.
Improved connectivity, visibility, and efficiency
APM Terminals Pecém is one of the first terminals in Brazil to provide an API data feed. The potential benefits are enormous, with several giant global agricultural companies shipping thousands of containers with sensitive commodities.
“Removing the need for manual intervention not only saves man hours and speeds up the process but also increases accuracy – which is particularly important for perishable goods, where delays can be very detrimental,” explains Marcelo Gurgel Barbosa Carvalho, Commercial Manager at APM Terminals Pecém. “Most importantly, access to real-time supply chain data improves planning and helps meet customer expectations.”
36% Year-on-Year Growth
As one of the first terminal companies to introduce a global API data solution in 2020, APM Terminals has experienced remarkable growth in the use of its APIs, witnessing a 36% year-on-year (January-November) increase—the most significant growth to date.
“This surge in API adoption underscores the industry’s growing understanding of the value and efficiency that can be gained through APIs, but this has not always been the case,” says Gavin Laybourne, Global CIO of APM Terminals.
“APIs are the engine behind every App or e-commerce site we use daily. They are clearly understood in the technology world. However, our customers’ decision-makers and commercial teams must be aware of the possibilities of API data feeds for improving their planning and optimising supply chain efficiency. Increasing awareness about the possibilities offered by APIs will continue to be a clear focus in markets where we make our data feeds available.”
The Future of APIs
APM Terminals is using feedback from current users to steer the development of new APIs, and this has already led to the roll-out of the company’s most recent API data feed – Terminal Vessel Schedule. This allows customers to track real-time and estimated vessel arrival/departure times and critical milestones for all vessels calling a terminal in the past seven days and upcoming 14 days rather than a specific ship only.
The seven APIs now provide real-time data from the Terminal Operating Systems of 24 APM Terminals’ locations, with this number set to grow further in 2024. This sustained growth in API usage reflects the industry’s confidence in APM Terminals’ ability to deliver transformative solutions that lift standards of efficiency and connectivity for the benefit of global trade.