Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a global IT services, consulting and business solutions organization, announced that it has partnered with Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) in South Africa, part of Transnet SOC Ltd, a state-owned freight transport and handling company. The partnership will help TPT in developing an integrated online marketplace platform by bringing together cargo owners, shipping lines, clearing and forwarding agents, and road/rail haulers, according to the press statement.
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.”
Siyabulela Mhlaluka, General Manager, Sales and New Business Development, TPT, said: “We chose TCS for, amongst other things, its deep domain knowledge, technology expertise and reputation as a global leader in IT services, consulting and business solutions. The new solution will help us bring all logistics players under one platform, create transparency in the industry, as well us power the next leg of our growth journey.”
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 organizations 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.”
