Seven years after the first prototype of Secure Container Release, PIN codes are no longer used to collect containers in Antwerp since this month. A milestone for the port and unique in Europe. T-Mining still sees many opportunities in the current complexity to make the release process smarter and more efficient, also outside the ports.
In 2020, MSC was the first shipping company in Antwerp to start using SCR and thus stop using PIN codes. MSC was thus the first shipping company worldwide to protect its employees and partners from the dangers of PIN code fraud.
Not much later, Hapag Lloyd and CMA-CGM followed suit, immediately securing a significant volume of containers in Antwerp. Meanwhile, SCR is used not only in Antwerp, but also in Rotterdam by Hapag Lloyd, with the advantage that the same way of working can be applied in different ports, where usually each port uses a different way of working.
After working with the three largest shipping companies in the port of Antwerp, MPET also connected to SCR in June 2023, making it possible to collect MSC containers at MPET without a PIN code. SCR, which is being rolled out in several phases to phase out the use of PIN codes, thus entered its third and final phase of rollout, more than three years after its inception.
According to Nico Wauters, CEO of T-Mining, phasing out PIN codes was not a simple operation:
“At the start of SCR, far from everyone was aware of the problem of PIN code fraud. Moreover, change scares people off. That’s why we invest hard in the quality of our service and support to users. For example, our webinars are very popular.”
“Thanks to the Certified Pick-up regulations, the changeover was accelerated. But that does not alter the fact that for the average carrier, container pick-up has just become more complex. In Antwerp, for example, since the go-live of CPU in early 2024, there are now 2 systems working in parallel to secure the release process.”
“We also see companies embracing SCR and taking the opportunity to digitise. The number of API links has increased remarkably, indicating that among forwarders and carriers there is now a positive business case to automate the release process.”
“Now we want to put more effort into making the release process more efficient and smart. The issue doesn’t stop at the deep sea terminal either and there is more interest in SCR from the hinterland. Other ports are now catching up and want to revisit the release process. That opens up new opportunities for SCR to grow further.”
For all info:
www.securecontainerrelease.com
