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Optimizing Landside Management: Changi Airport Community’s Truck Dock Slot Booking Implementation

Truck Dock Slot Booking at Singapore Changi Airport

Optimizing Landside Management: Changi Airport Community’s Truck Dock Slot Booking Implementation

The Truck Dock Slot Booking (TDSB) system is a groundbreaking initiative that has transformed cargo handling efficiency at Changi Airport, one of the world’s busiest air freight hubs. Launched in August 2024, it is the largest cargo community initiative driving landside process optimization, involving Changi Airport Group, ground handlers SATS and dnata, over 330 freight forwarders and trucking companies, government agencies, and technology providers Nallian and CCN. By enabling digital scheduling of truck visits for cargo pick-up and drop-off, the TDSB system enhances predictability, minimizes congestion, optimizes resource allocation, and enables proactive and paperless validation of data - positively impacting sustainability.

Changi SATS dnata logos

Key Drivers Behind the Implementation

Before implementing the TDSB system, trucks arrived unannounced, leading to inefficiencies and operational bottlenecks. Unpredictable truck arrivals caused significant peaks and idle times, ground handlers struggled with workforce planning, and long waiting times increased costs for all stakeholders.

Singapore Changi Airport view

“One of the pain points highlighted by our community was truck congestion at the cargo terminals, and that the different stakeholders in the air cargo value chain were working in siloes. We wanted to offer a collaborative approach to cargo lodgement and collection to ensure efficiency, resource optimisation, and visibility. We looked at the market with similar initiatives and started a pilot with a limited scope during COVID-19. We learned a lot from the pilot.”

Jaisey Yip, Vice President, Cargo Business Division at Changi Airport Group

How it works

The TDSB system was implemented community-wide in August 2024. The project started with export flows; the import phase will be launched in the first half of 2025. All stakeholders now adopt a unified approach to scheduling truck visits. Freight Forwarders and Trucking Companies reserve a time slot in view of the ground handler's available capacity. The system suggests time slot durations based on shipment details, improving scheduling accuracy. Shipment details are linked to the booking via integration with the back-end systems of the ground handlers. This way, handlers know in advance who will visit, when, and for which freight, which allows them to prepare in advance. In the system, all stakeholders have real-time visibility of the associated freight bookings and their status. In the future, for import shipments, pre-arrival announcements will allow for advanced security, identity, and payment checks, streamlining entry processes.

landside mgt cargo warehouse front desk

98% adoption in the first month

The system went live in August 2024, involving the ground handlers, forwarders and trucking companies. Almost 1,200 individuals were trained via roadshows, webinars, and classroom sessions, resulting in a 98% user adoption rate within the first month.

Impact of the TDSB System

Implementing the Truck Dock Slot Booking (TDSB) system has had a transformative impact on cargo operations at Changi Airport.

Freight forwarders and trucking companies benefit from less waiting times, which reduces idle times and the associated fuel consumption and carbon emissions. It also increases safety on the grounds.

Singapore Changi Airport Landside Operations

“Before the implementation of the Truck Dock Slot Booking system, a mix of peaks and quiet periods during the day caused an uneven use of our resources, and it became normal for cargo to wait. Today, we have advanced visibility into truck arrivals, which allows for better resource planning. Warehouse staff can prepare goods and equipment in advance, accelerating dock turnaround times.”

Boon Kiam Kuah, Senior Vice President of Cargo Services at SATS

“The coordinated flow helps us to plan trips better and reduce waiting time for our drivers, which has a positive impact on cost savings, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.”

Benjamin Ong, Second Deputy Chairman of SAAA@Singapore and CEO of Alliance 21


Key factors for success:

The importance of change management

Jaisey Yip comments: “The implementation impacts operational processes that require changes in the ways of working. Investing in change management is crucial to making a community system a success.” This represents an investment in workforce development to ensure staff can adapt to technology-enabled operations. Benjamin Ong says: “We had to train our staff in managing digital bookings, utilizing data effectively, and working within more structured timelines.”

To ensure a good follow-up, Nallian’s implementation manager is working closely with the stakeholders to discuss usage data. Custom dashboards displaying operational performance data (such as throughput times and booking patterns), allow a close follow up on user behavior, and detecting areas for improvements in the operational flows. 

Change Management

Stakeholder Collaboration

Jean Verheyen, CEO of Nallian, comments: “An initiative like this requires a shared commitment from all parties involved -  ground handlers, forwarders, and trucking companies, and a clear governance framework defining responsibilities and structured implementation strategies. Offering a highly integrated approach with the ground handlers’ back-end systems and existing community communication platforms also requires a good collaboration between the technology partners.”

Stakeholder Collaboration

Future Scalability and Adoption

With a proven track record at Changi Airport, the TDSB system is poised for further expansion. After the successful launch of Export Operations, Import will go live in the first half of 2025. Further optimizations may include automated data capture using smart cameras for increased accuracy.

Future Scalability and Adoption

Conclusion

The Truck Dock Slot Booking system at Changi Airport is a pioneering innovation that has set a new benchmark for landside cargo management. Digitizing truck visit scheduling is improving efficiency, reducing congestion, and improving stakeholder collaboration – with a positive impact on sustainbility. As the system continues to evolve, it promises to streamline global air cargo operations further, reinforcing Changi Airport’s position as a leader in air logistics.

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Griley Air Freight transforms freight management using Nallian's Truck Visit Management solution at Menzies LAX

Griley Air Freight transforms freight management  operations using Nallian’s Truck Visit Management Solution at Menzies LAX 

Meet Alfonso Munoz, Vice President of Griley Air Freight, a family-owned trucking company, which has been diligently catering to the air freight and transportation sectors in Los Angeles, California, since its founding in 1973. The firm has always embraced modern technology so when Menzies Aviation was the first ground handler at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to deploy Nallian's Truck Visit Management (TVM) solution, Griley Air Freight was one of the first companies to integrate it into their dispatching process. They promptly saw a reduction in waiting time to pick up imports and drop off exports. This immediately saved fuel and labor expenses, reduced engine emissions in a highly regulated state, and ensured a ready supply of drivers remained available for their customers. 

The Story of Griley Air Freight

Griley Air Freight has been a reliable transportation provider for years, known for its consistent service and a knack for efficiency. Some core areas of Griley’s business are pickups and drop-offs at airline warehouses located around Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on behalf of customs brokers and freight forwarders. However, they faced challenges in managing resources effectively at LAX, as did most transport providers picking up freight from LAX. The answer to these challenges was Nallian's Truck Visit Management solution, which Menzies Aviation chose to deploy in the market.

The Challenge of Efficient Cargo Transport Before Nallian’s Truck Visit Management

Efficiently picking up and dropping off cargo at LAX wasn't only a Griley problem. It remains an “everyone” problem. At LAX wait time is on average between two and a half to six hours, and during peaks it can be up to eight hours. Before Nallian’s solution, there was no scheduling or appointment system. Companies would send Griley to Menzies to pick up imported cargo and oftentimes, it wouldn’t be ready or drivers had to wait to drop off cargo.

Griley’s Vice President, Alfonso Munoz, said: “One of the biggest challenges we have when we go to the airport is the wait time. It's hot in California, so drivers want to keep their engines running and the air conditioning on while idling.” It wasted fuel, man hours, money, morale, and time that could've been better utilized serving customers by transporting the goods to their final destinations. The unmanaged process was a drain on human and fiscal resources while ballooning everyone’s carbon footprint.

How Griley Air Freight Uses Nallian’s Truck Visit Management

Griley was one of the first users of the TVM solution. Deciding factors included the ability to set up recurring pickup requests, real-time data, automated notifications, and increased sustainability. 

With the solution, Menzies enabled Griley to book time slots to pick up or drop off freight. Via an online booking form, dispatchers request bookings for pickups and drops offs and can attach freight details. Drivers self-register upon arrival via the digital front desk to activate their booking. 

Within a week of introduction, Griley Air Freight fully implemented Nallian's solution into their daily operations. Their dispatchers welcomed the system, as it made their jobs easier. By simply logging in they could enter requests, view assigned time slots in real-time, track the status of each request, and make changes as necessary. 

Within a week of introduction, Griley Air Freight fully implemented Nallian's solution into their daily operations. Their dispatchers welcomed the system, as it made their jobs easier.

The Results

The results were game-changing. Griley Air Freight reported streamlined operations, increased visibility, and better resource management. “When Menzies implemented Nallian's Truck Visit Management solution, we immediately saw the impact and waited on average three to four hours less.” The solution's real-time data provided insights into their operations, allowing them to make data-driven decisions. Recurring pickup requests and automated notifications further enhanced their efficiency. Additionally, the solution supported commitment to green initiatives by reducing truck idling time, a significant win for sustainability.

"When Menzies implemented Nallian's Truck Visit Management solution, we immediately saw the impact and waited on average three to four hours less.”

Ground handlers seeking the opportunity to improve their customers' experience and help comply with a raft of labor and environmental regulations can contact Nallian to learn how to connect their back-office systems to Nallian's front end. 

Anybody thinking of adopting Nallian’s TVM as a system, I can say it works and it works well. It didn't take too long to implement. We've seen the wait times reduced, and that's ultimately what we want. I encourage you to look into it.” - Alfonso Munoz, Vice President of Griley Air Freight

“Anybody thinking of adopting Nallian’s TVM as a system, I can say it works and it works well. It didn't take too long to implement. We've seen the wait times reduced, and that's ultimately what we want. I encourage you to look into it.”

Alfonso Munoz, Vice President of Griley Air Freight

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Digital Green Lane

Digital Green Lane - how Nallian's slot booking ensures smooth pick ups and drop offs at BRUcargo

Digital Green Lane in BRU:

driving efficiency and quality with a coordinated freight pick up and drop off process

The Digital Green Lane is a uniform, standardized pick-up & delivery process between the freight forwarders, trucking companies, and ground handling agents at Brussels Airport’s cargo hub. This means that all freight is being picked up or dropped off against a registered time slot, drivers self-register at a digital front desk, and freight information is shared digitally throughout the process. This brings important advantages to its stakeholders, such as time gain, efficiency improvements, and service quality and visibility.

The process is enabled by Nallian's Truck Visit Management solution.


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Athens International Airport launches Nallian-powered Cargo Cloud

Athens International Airport launches Nallian-powered Cargo Cloud

Athens International Airport launches Nallian-powered Cargo Cloud

Athens International Airport launches Nallian-powered Cargo Cloud to maximize capacity and facilitate freight pick ups and drops offs in the frame of the STARGATE Initiative

Athens, Brussels 16th May 2023  – In the frame of STARGATE (SusTainable AiRports, the Green heArT of Europe), an EU project focused on the development of innovative solutions to create the green airports and aviation of the future, AIA will be implementing Nallian’s Cargo Cloud, aiming to facilitate growth in a synergetic manner through optimization of the Airport’s cargo area physical infrastructure.

The application to be initially used is Truck Visit Management, which coordinates freight pickups and drop offs between cargo handlers, freight forwarders and trucking companies. It will involve key players in the air cargo activity for the first phase of the project scheduled for a period of 12-months effective July 2023.

The solution consists of a digital front desk and slot booking system which enables cargo stakeholders to make landside dock capacity available for slot booking and maximize usage while facilitating resource planning and eliminating wait times at the gates.

 

Alexios Sioris, Ground Handling and Cargo Development Manager AIA, comments: “Predictable and efficient processes involving digital solutions empower our cargo community with effective tools towards a sustainable operation. The Truck Visit Management solution is expected to eliminate congestion and wait times at our cargo terminals and improve effectiveness, by complementing the existing systems of the air cargo stakeholders.” 

Jean Verheyen, CEO Nallian, adds: “Our Cargo Cloud, which is used by airports big and small in Europe, Asia and the US, allows a step by step digitalization approach. We are proud to support Athens International Airport on their digital journey, starting with the optimization of their landside management process in the context of the STARGATE initiative .”   

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DFW Cargo Cloud

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) takes visibility and efficiency to the next level by launching Nallian's Cargo Cloud

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) takes visibility and efficiency to the next level by launching Nallian's Cargo Cloud

Taking visibility and efficiency to the next level

DFW handled 971,000 tons of cargo in FY19 and has steadily risen to become one of the top international cargo hubs. Its cloud based data sharing platform for cargo customers allows seamless transactions between stakeholders across the supply chain, including freight forwarders, shippers, ground handling agents, 3PLs, airlines, Customs and Border Protection, and trucking companies.

This new application-based technology reduces the amount of time and paperwork required for cargo shipments coming through the Airport. It is part of the Airport’s digital transformation strategy, with future enhancements that include pharmaceutical tracking and monitoring capabilities providing real time tracking, ensuring higher levels of safety and product integrity. This also allows multinational collaboration among global cargo hubs. The Slot Booking application allows truckers and freight forwarders to request and reserve dock door slot times, eliminating wait times while reducing roadway congestion and harmful emissions.

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport

This new platform will make processing cargo through DFW more efficient by providing accurate and timely information to our cargo community. We are excited to work with our partner Nallian to offer this added value to our cargo and logistics customers.

John Ackerman, Executive Vice President of Global Strategy and Development
DFW Airport

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