Paperless Port: see how digitalization revolutionizes port logistics
- 28/06/2022
- 10 分钟
Modernization, efficiency, and sustainability. As we see it, these are the main characteristics of digitalization. That is why we have taken the opportunity to prepare a special article on the subject. After all, are you already familiar with the Paperless Port project? If not, there is no problem.
You can also listen to this article in the audio version.
Here, you will understand how the sector is evolving to an even more productive reality. For this, we counted on the collaboration of two important professionals, Marcio Bragança Mira, Operations Supervisor at Wilson Sons, and Fabricio Carvalho Freitas, Technology and Process Manager at Tecon Salvador. Check it out!
Why is the Paperless Port Project important?
In our view, when we speak of ESG we speak of the acronym of the 21st century. These letters stand for Environmental, Social and Governance, a concept that encourages companies to adopt social, environmental and corporate responsibility solutions. With the maritime, logistics and production sector, this would not be different.
As such, the federal government has instituted a new project to encourage the use of technology in the Brazilian port reality. The Paperless Port is a system dedicated to reducing bureaucracy, promoting agility, generating savings and making the maritime sector a more practical, clean and efficient segment.
To this end, the project determined the creation of the DUV, the Single Virtual Document. The goal is to replace the “paperwork” of daily port life with this single, electronic, centralized document. The measure has enormous potential, since it is capable of speeding up the verification and release of goods.
Another important detail is that the digitalization of this information also made it possible to organize the data on a single platform, the Port Data Concentrator. With this, it is possible to assess the authenticity of documents with even more security, precision, and speed.
As in any other sector, digitalization is an injection of technology and results. With Paperless Port, the segment is moving towards a more agile, secure, economical and organized operational routine, benefiting all who operate in this environment.
What does digitalization look like in port logistics?
Digitalization is an inevitable trend in all productive sectors, and is even one of the main aspects of Industry 4.0. In port logistics, such transformation occurs in the form of digital systems, electronic contracts and signatures, adoption of new technologies and flexibility of the work routine.
But, of course, there is nothing better than to count on technical opinions to support these observations. Therefore, we invited Marcio Bragança Mira, Operations Supervisor at Wilson Sons, and Fabricio Carvalho Freitas, Manager of Technology and Processes at Tecon Salvador, to talk about the theme.
With one year of Wilson Sons complete in August 2021, Marcio immediately noticed “that all the company’s processes were in digital format”. Fabricio highlighted a “huge evolution in recent years”, and that, within Wilson Sons, he noticed the digitalization of “several internal processes and with customers”.
As an example, Fabricio also highlights the Salvador Terminal. “Since 2017, the cargo clearance and billing process is fully digital through our B2B portal,” says the professional. Thus, customers, forwarders and other stakeholders can do everything through the website, without using paper, with efficiency, speed and practicality.
What are the advantages of port modernization?
Asked about the benefits of this transformation for the industry, Marcio points out that they exist for both companies and the market. For companies, the specialist emphasizes points such as collaboration and process simplification and also the flexibility of working hours and workplace, creating an even healthier and more productive environment.
For the market as a whole, he highlights benefits such as the use of collaborative tools, the automation of processes and the ease of consulting and research. Fabrício also complements by highlighting advantages, such as agility, efficiency, reliability, transparency and security.
According to him, agility and efficiency are the result of “a more dynamic process, without physical interactions that depend on paper and the physical displacement of people. Reliability and transparency, on the other hand, is the result of digitalization offering a real-time overview of the entire process, with traceability and auditability.
Finally, regarding security, Fabricio highlights Wilson Sons as a reference, because it ensures that, in all steps, the “confidentiality of their customers’ data and processes is respected, also observing standards and legislation that aim to meet the legal demands, preserving the security of data,” points out the expert.
To conclude, we asked how they see a future without paper. Marcio is honest and objective: “Efficiency and competitiveness in relation to the best international practices”. With this, he indicates that compliance with digitalization will be mandatory for any company seeking to be competitive in the market.
Fabricio complements, even demonstrating how Wilson Sons sees the so-called paperless future – a tomorrow in which all interfaces and fronts of service and interaction are digital, maximizing results, eliminating red tape, increasing security and reducing costs.
What are the challenges of digital transformation?
However, it’s not always a bed of roses. Great transformations often entail great obstacles. Here, both argue under the same consensus, mainly, when they harp on data security.
According to Marcio, a point that deserves a lot of attention is the “lack of security (specific regulations that create sanctions) in the inadequate use of systems that allow the digitalization of processes, and users of the systems that don’t understand the evolution”.
Fabricio complements highlighting that “the biggest concern of the market, for sure, is cybersecurity, a theme that is increasingly more present in the strategic agenda of companies and that is, according to experts, the biggest challenge of technology in the coming years” – a topic of absolute care and expertise to Wilson Sons.
Finally, they list the possible risks created by digitalization, mainly, when the implementation of new technologies is not accompanied by coherent planning and execution to the security strategy of the companies.
Marcio points to the risks, situations and challenges, such as confidential data leakage, non-automated data analysis routines and the need for accelerated continuous evolution. Fabricio also emphasizes the importance of companies standing alongside IT initiatives to raise the level of prevention and information security.
According to him, most of today’s scams are works of Social Engineering, a method that focuses on obtaining information such as user credentials and other sensitive data through psychological manipulation, in order to perform actions and/or disclose confidential information.
Digital transformation is inevitable, it will come sooner or later in all industries and companies, including in the maritime and ports business. For this reason, it is very important for professionals in this industry to be aware of these changes in order to be prepared and adapt quickly to them.
Now that you have a broad notion about the Paperless Port project and the importance of digitalization in the maritime sector, take the opportunity to continue learning by accessing our other exclusive contents about the market!