UK: Port of Liverpool to Get DBIS Major Upgrade of Agri-Bulk Management Systems

Peel Ports have selected DBIS to deliver a major upgrade of the automation and management systems at their Agri-Bulk terminals at The Port of Liverpool.

The Grain Terminal and Animal Feed/Biomass store is Britain’s largest import facility, having a Siwertell continuous un-loader capable of discharging at a rate of 1,800 tonnes per hour and 5 dedicated mobile harbour cranes, together supporting a total capacity of 168,000 tonnes of grain and over 500,000 sq ft of Animal Feed/Biomass storage.

Peel Ports Liverpool first worked with DBIS in 2001 when they jointly developed the Management, Operations and Traceability System for the grain terminal. MOATS was revolutionary at the time and won the prestigious Award for Innovation at the GEAPS Conference in Minneapolis, USA.

DBIS went on to develop their CommTrac Bulk Terminal Management System which has subsequently become the product of choice for bulk terminals around the world.

Commenting, David Huck, Head of Port Operations said: “CommTrac has undergone a continuous development roadmap and has advanced so much from the original MOATS system that this major upgrade delivers a tangible return on investment for Peel Ports Liverpool through administrative efficiencies, optimisation of operational processes and more importantly delivering further added value for our growing customer base. The traceability and QA requirements at Liverpool are intrinsic within CommTrac, enabling the terminals to further advance their compliance with global traceability and product security standards.”

A number of new features will be introduced during the upgrade including the automatic accrual of storage and handling charges, vessel discharge optimisation and the ability to provide real time Key Performance Indicator reports on both operational and commercial processes.

The management team at DBIS, who have recently been acquired by Demag Cranes AG, expressed their delight at the announcement. Sales Director David Trueman said: “The Port of Liverpool is where it all started for us and we are grateful that the Management team shared our vision back in 2001 and still do. However we knew this upgrade would only be justified by a valid business case, making this decision is all the more satisfying.”

Peel Ports Liverpool plays a vital role in the supply chains of the UK’s best-known names in food processing and feed. Today the Port handles more than two million tonnes of grain, feedstuffs and biomass cargoes annually.

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Source: MerseyDocks, October 4, 2011.