Given the sheer volume of roll-on roll-off (ro-ro) cargo it handles – 700 000 units annually – SA CARGO is steering its operations into the digital age.
According to Mndeni Ngcobo, strategic projects and marketing manager, the company has digitised its ro-ro division, which involves multiple stakeholders, including automotive OEMs, shipping lines, state-owned entities (SOEs) and labour.
“Historically, all operations were managed on paper, leaving the organisation vulnerable to inefficiency and mistakes,” he said. “By digitising our processes, we improve accuracy, enhance visibility across the supply chain, and better coordinate the numerous players involved, ultimately boosting reliability and turnaround times.”
Ngcobo said that customers were increasingly demanding real-time transparency, with key performance indicators (KPIs) shifting from daily updates to immediate operational feedback.
“This led to a critical question: How can SA CARGO, with over 30 years of experience in ro-ro services, provide a reliable, user-friendly and data-driven platform within this ecosystem?
“The solution was to partner in building and implementing a stevedoring app – a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform designed from scratch to increase efficiency, reduce errors and provide true transparency to our stakeholders,” he told Freight News.
The app uses device cameras, barcode readers and key entry to record cargo and handlers during shipping operations, with features including profile management, shipping consignments, incident reporting and offline mode for periodic data syncing.
The accompanying web portal manages operational data across dashboards, organisational profiles, consignment and staff management, cargo management, reports and archiving.
In its first year, the platform revolutionised ro-ro operations across Durban, East London and Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha), tallying more than 350 000 vehicles, onboarding 610 staff users and handling 433 shipping consignments – all while reducing incidents and improving operational efficiency.
“The maritime sector has historically been slow to adapt to modern trends, but the more complex the challenge, the greater the reward for our customers and for society,” said Ngcobo.
“Our approach is to identify problems, apply critical and creative thinking, and implement scalable solutions. While the initial stages of digitising operations were the most complex, overcoming these challenges has positioned SA CARGO to innovate and capture new opportunities. By building on our existing skills and processes, we’ve strengthened trust and transparency with stakeholders and opened doors to new market opportunities in the ro-ro sector.”
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