1. VMS – Vehicle Management System
Executive Summary VMS is a software solution which provides key stakeholders in the
export/import of vehicles in a port environment an ability to vastly
improve on the inefficiencies and risks occurring during vehicle
discharge, transportation and storage.
The solution is based on 2 versions – VMS-Vessel and VMS-Terminal,
each tailored to provide maximum effectiveness for the stakeholders in
each environment.
VMS is built on the Microsoft .Net development platform, and interfaces
with Sandfield’s EDI technology and other shipping and terminal
management systems.
Key Business Benefits Shipping Lines:
 Improves prioritisation parking of import vehicles on the wharf and
reconcile discharge by manufacturers into the correct wharf locations
 Increases the accuracy of the reconciliation and reporting on the load
and discharge on vessels
 Improves congestion at the ports by directing vehicles more accurately
to the correct locations when discharging
 Enables more throughput in a secure environment
Stevedores:
 Enables improved vehicle marshalling and management of parking
spaces
 Improved visibility of Vehicle status (Shipping Releases, Biosecurity,
Customs, Demurrage)
 Accurate recording of Vehicle locations (speedier location for transport
companies)
 Timestamping events when they occur (improved visibility of knowing
where a Vehicle is in the supply chain)
 Improved key management
Port:
 Reduces wharf congestion and provides an improved use of valuable
space
 Provides accurate status and location information on a per vehicle basis ,
thus reducing inefficient vehicle movement on wharfs
 Enables greater vehicle throughput
 Improved Gate Security
 Improved credibility and customer satisfaction
Transporters:
 Improved visibility of Vehicle status (known in advance prior to
despatching Trucks to the Port for collection)
Vehicle Importers:
 Improves their ability to prioritise which vehicles to move/remove
from wharf
 Provides greater vehicle visibility and peace of mind.
 Improved shipping and delivery timescales

2. VMS Features and Modules
Feature List
The VMS system provides the following standard functionality:
 EDI
 Import Manifests
 Export booking and Vehicle details
 Customs Clearance
 Quarantine Clearance
 Truck load details
 Planning
 The ability to plan expected arrival vehicles into slots
 Public and Private Web Site to view and manage:
 Discharge by Vessel Voyage
 Clearance status of vehicles
 Shipping Line Delivery Order Release
 Register of Interest for Pick up by Carrier
 Stevedore key hand over
 Gate Security truck and vehicle status views
 Handheld devices to record:
 Discharge
 Load
 Slotting (Parking)
 Load on Truck
 Gate Security clearance
 Yard Movements
Modules
 VMS comprises 4 main modules
o EDI Module – for sending/receipt of messages (see below for
specific messages handled and their purpose)
 EDI interfaces with Shipping Companies to receive Manifests
(in various formats, XML and Edifact)
 EDI Inferfaces with Customs to electronically receive
Customs Releases (CUSRES standard)
 EDI Interfaces with MAF to receive biosecurity clearances
and re-directs (e.g. to a wash facility).
 EDI interfaces with car manufacturers for load information
 Interfaces are made available to Transport companies to
interface truck loads if they are running any internal
systems that are managing this activity. This results in the
same information being displayed to the gate security when
the truck is exiting the wharf area.
o The Yard Planner – Used to plan for vehicle arrivals assigning
discharge, load and transship zones. The Yard Planner is updated
when Vehicles are parked and their locations recorded through a
hand-held device.
 Planning Zones can be defined for individual parking slots or
bulk parking areas

3. Web Site based application – Accessible via the Internet for all key
o
stakeholders that use the system (Car Manufacturers, Shipping
Companies and Agents, Stevedores/Tallies, Port Operations,
Transporter Companies & Customs Agents)
 Control Panel views – e.g. Discharge views
Hand-held functionality for use on the wharves (Load, Discharge,
o
Slotting, Creating Transporter Loads & Security Gate clearance
functionality)
 Discharge mode – In this mode the hand-held scans the
vehicle’s barcode and if a match is found with the associated
VIN number, it is counted off the vessel (There is a control
panel/dashboard on the Web Site module of VMS that
provides a real-time tally count)

4. Load mode – Same function as the discharge, this counts

vehicles on to the vessel
Slotting mode – Using the hand-held device to scan a

vehicle’s barcode, locate vehicle record, select location on
wharf (locations are mastered in the Yard Planner and
downloaded to the hand-held upon initialization), scan
keypack (pre barcoded envelopes that the keys are placed
in) and associate Vehicle with the Keypack. Referred to as
slotting as the vehicles are parked in painted slots on the
wharf, each with a unique number. In addition we can
record vehicles into bulk parking areas that do not have
individual parking slots and these bulk parking areas can be
created when planning a vessel voyage.

5. Create a Truck Load – All the trucks that visit the port are

mastered within the VMS database. In this mode the
Transporter selects a truck and scans the vehicles onto it,
creating a “Load”. On the Web Site, “Loads” that are
created and sent from the hand-held devices are visible to
the Security Gate through a control panel/dashboard.

6. Clear a Load – Hand-held functionality for Security users

who need to leave the security hut. Displays active truck
loads that have been created by Transporter Companies.
This functionality highlights any stops on the Vehicles, e.g.
MAF, Customs, Shipping Company and Port Company and if
any demurrage is owed and provides the user with the
ability to record the gate out movement of the truck and
associated vehicles
All modes have the ability to scan a barcode of a vehicle or

keypack to display the vehicle record, if no match is found
extensive search capabilities are offered to search on BoL
numbers, VIN numbers, and any other manifested Marks.
 Currently using Symbol Hand-held devices, but is capable of running on
any devices running Windows Mobile 5 operating system.
 Communication to the VMS server from the hand-helds is network
independent. Any network that is capable of TCP/IP traffic to the servers
will enable the users to upload and down load data. Data exchanged
covers:
o Download:
 All vehicle information for a specific Vessel Voyage
 All vehicles currently on the wharf and storage areas
 Pre-planning information on where to slot (park) vehicles
 Actual locations of vehicles slotted (parked) on the wharf

7. Upload:
o
 Vehicle movements
 Slotting locations

8.  VMS also has a Supply Chain management feature that utilizes an
additional Module “On Event” to record and notify customers based on the
event recorded by VMS, such as:
o Create Vehicle (import manifest or export booking lists)
o Discharge Vehicle (Stevedore)
o Load Vehicle (Stevedore)
o Slot Vehicle (Stevedore)
o Associate Keypack with Vehicle (Stevedore)
o Generate Shipping Delivery Release (Shipping Company)
o Register Interest in Vehicles (Transporter Company)
o Handover Keypacks (Stevedore to Transporter)
o Create Transporter Load (Transporter)
o Gate Out (Security Gate)