Transnet Port Terminals partners with India’s TCS for Cargo Connect platform

September 09, 2020: India’s Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has partnered with Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) in South Africa to help the latter develop an integrated online marketplace platform by bringing together cargo owners, shipping lines, clearing and forwarding agents, and road/rail haulers.

TPT saw an opportunity to simplify the South African logistics market by creating a connected portal that would provide comprehensive logistics information to cargo owners and logistics players. It partnered with TCS to create the new platform named Cargo Connect, which will function as an online logistics marketplace where customers can submit logistics related requests and allow service providers to bid online. Customers will be able to select the preferred proposal and award the cargo contract to that bidder.

Sharla Chetty, chief information officer, TPT said, “A major feature of this solution is a logistics marketplace which will function in the same manner as existing market platforms in the transportation and hospitality industry. Customers could tender logistics requests on the platform and allow logistics service providers to bid and potentially be selected to undertake a logistics service.”

This will make the entire request and bid selection process completely transparent, delivering greater value to TPT’s customers. The platform will also help customers remotely track the cargo at every point of the container journey and send automated alerts with critical information, whenever a cargo event occurs. Expected to be ready in 12 months, the Cargo Connect marketplace will reshape the industry and drive TPT’s growth.

“TCS has been partnering with progressive organisations across the world to develop new technology-enabled business models that power their growth and transformation journeys,” said Sumanta Roy, Head, TCS Middle East, Africa, and Mediterranean. “We are delighted to work with TPT in bringing to life this innovative idea, using state of the art digital technologies and agile processes, and establishing the first such marketplace in Africa.”