Truck FIT improves arrivals for haulage companies at HHLA terminals

Jens Hansen, Chief Operating Officer of HHLA, says, “With the introduction of the slot-booking process and the Truck FIT system updates, we are continually improving the processes at the Hamburg terminals. This reduces the amount of time trucks spend at the terminal and thus relieves public infrastructure. Collaborating with the haulage companies has enabled us to further develop the system based on the needs of the users and brought us closer to our common goal: the transparent and reliable allocation of slots.”

The system updates were made in close coordination with participating haulage companies. An important development partner for HHLA was Stuhr Container Logistic. The Hamburg haulage company is an expert in container transport in and around the Port of Hamburg. The company was involved in the planning and implementation of the project from the very beginning.

Heiner Stuhr, Managing Partner of Stuhr Container Logistic, on Truck FIT: “At first, we were sceptical of the changes to the system because we feared that the flexibility our business needs would get lost. However, in our role as a development partner, we were able to express our concerns transparently from the start. The HHLA project team engaged in dialogue with us and always found the right solution.” Thanks to the feedback from haulage companies, the system was further developed based on the needs of users. “Now there are more bookable slots available at short notice than there were before the adjustments, which has a positive impact on our business,” adds Heiner Stuhr. 

Oliver Dux, Managing Director of Container Terminal Altenwerder (CTA), declares, “We are very grateful to all our project partners – including Stuhr – for supporting HHLA’s introduction of Truck FIT despite the difficult circumstances. The current situation in particular illustrates how important it is for all parties that are affected by the supply chain disruptions to work together and to find solutions.”

The slot-booking process was introduced in the Port of Hamburg in 2017 to prevent bottlenecks at the terminals and to relieve the traffic situation. At the beginning of 2022, HHLA began updating the system with the introduction of Truck FIT, since the no-show rate – the proportion of unused slots – had grown significantly. With the system update, haulage companies with a no-show rate that is too high will be offered a limited contingent of slots during peak times the following week. Slots can still be booked freely during off-peak times. Since the end of June, it is no longer possible to swap slots that have already been booked. In a final step, the system’s transparency will be further increased through the disclosure of actual throughput times at the terminals.