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Key take-aways from our Panel:
Geert Keirens (Director AirCargoBelgium): “There are application live, they have been
presented to you today. These apps create already added value for different stakeholders,
don’t hesitate, don’t have a wait-and-see attitude, but adopt these applications quickly
within our community!”
Erwin Hoefkens (CCO NxtPort): “Don’t be scared to share and collaborate! Look pragmatically
to what data you could share which can add value for your business partners in the supply
chain. On the other side, voice your ideas about what data you’d like to receive from them
that improves the end-to-end delivery lead time.”
David Bellon (Station Director at DHL Global Forwarding Belgium): “I’m sure you can find many
excuses to not change anything, but there are many more reasons to do change a lot! Data
sharing can result in thousands of email snot leaving unanswered. “
Bart Vleugels (Customs): “Customs have a positive attitude towards community digitization
initiatives like BRUcloud and NxtPort. We definitely want to digitalise and work more
efficient. Thanks to the community umbrella organization AirCargoBelgium, the regional
taskforce meetings are done more smoothly. Customs, ACB and the community understand
each other better and work together. The results are there, as can be seen with the
elimination of paperwork with the Export Customs App, and that’s the main goal!”
Q&A session BRUcloud event
1. How do other airports look at this and are they working on the same??
Definitely! There have been multiple conversations with other airports directly and
also with major players in airports, especially on the Slot Booking App. This shows
that our applications can be used as stand-alone solutions, if wanted. On the other
side, most of these airports contact us or Nallian for the “full blast option”, because
they are interested in the same set-up: secure data sharing, no data duplication and
applications making use of existing data and adding extra (operational) data. In that
set-up an airport can still decide which of the existing apps they are interested in,
and which new apps they want to link or develop from scratch!
2. How are we going to join these community initiatives with digitization
initiatives from individual companies?
We cannot answer this question in a better way than David Bellon did (Station
Director at DHL Global Forwarding Belgium): “Of course all players do have their
own internal digitization initiatives. These initiatives will only facilitate data sharing
across the boundaries of companies, because the data is already available… On top
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the BRUcloud apps focus on those processes where community wide cooperation
is necessary, on cross-company processes (e.g.: Slot Booking process).”
3. How can you control data is not shared with an unwanted party once I get
the data through your API?
Data protection is paramount in data sharing initiatives. As a source of data, you
want full control on who can see which part of your data in what context.
Data protection in BRUcloud works at 2 levels:
Mechanically: With Nallian’s Data Sharing Engine, it is
mechanically enforced that no data element within BRUcloud can
be accessed by a party that isn’t entitled to view that data
element. And as a source of data, you are in full control of
specifying such entitlements.
Legally: Each data consumer signs terms & conditions which
include clauses that prohibit the data consumer to use the data
for any other purpose than the purpose that the data provider
agreed to.
So legally, even if as a data consumer you have access to a certain
data element, you are not entitled to for instance take a
screenshot and distribute the information any further.
4. The platform will need a critical mass of data. When is this expected to be
achieved?
The approach we follow is focussing in the beginning on those applications which
create immediate added value (efficiency and quality improvements) for the
participants who step in. The early adopters also have the advantage that they can
give input and feedback on the priorities and functionalities. Of course this created
value will only be maximized when all stakeholders join.
The usage of the apps will result in more operational data in the BRUcloud data
sharing layer. Because of the data which is already available in the BRUcloud, more
wins will be able to generate with sometimes just adding one extra element. (E.g:
This is exactly what we did with the development of the Customs Export App, we
reused the date from the Statistics App, added one extra data source, and efficiency
gains could be created.)
David Bellon (Station Director at DHL Global Forwarding Belgium): “The critical mass
is already there today. Towards customs for example, a lot of data is available which
is reused by other parties further down in the supply chain. It is important that we
go full for data sharing together with other BRUcargo stakeholders. We as BRUcargo
community, need to work together and differentiate ourselves from other airports.”
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5. I want to join the slot booking app!
Nice :-). Please contact us via sara.van.gelder@brusselsairport.be or via our
website www.brucloud.com
6. Do you need to be part of the block chain when introduced for a solution
or is there a way around?’
The T-mining solution for Secure Container Release is based on a “permissioned
blockchain”. This means that it is not based on the public Ethereum blockchain
network (used by many other companies worldwide), but a closed dedicated
Ethereum blockchain network that is set up by T-mining with different partners in
the Antwerp Port community specifically for this application. Companies have 4
options to connect to the solution:
a. Install their own blockchain node which makes them a direct member of the
blockchain network in the Port of Antwerp. T-mining provides professional
services to help with the setup and maintenance if needed. This setup is
recommended for large volumes.
b. Use the API’s at T-mining. Companies simply connect to the API’s hosted by
T-mining directly without the need to install or manage their own blockchain
node. This is recommended for smaller volumes and/or pilot projects.
c. Use the API’s at NxtPort (or in the future maybe BRUcloud). This is
recommended for ISV's (software vendors) and companies that want to
combine the Secure Container Release solution with other data-streams
offered in the NxtPort data marketplace.
d. Connect to our portal or mobile app. Very small trucking companies that do
not have a transport management solution (TMS) in place, can simply log
into our web portal manually to see the containers assigned to them, and
reassign the container to the individual driver who will do the pickup at the
terminal.
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7. How will you involve all the other, external parties to share their data? Like
foreign trucking companies who will need to book a slot?
External trucking companies can also create an account on the BRUcloud and start
using existing applications. Parties will share their data if they see added value in it.
Trucking-companies who integrate their trucking data (via an API, or via an
application that they use already) with the BRUcloud platform, will be served in a
different (more efficient) way than the ones who do not do this. Hey will be able to
make use of “a green lane”, to eliminate waiting times…
8. Is there a way to benefit as data provider from NxtPort without setting a
data fee?
Apart from the data fee option, the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for Data Providers
to NxtPort doesn’t increase in function of additional (national and international)
Data User entities requesting to consume their data in order to achieve optimization
in the end-to-end supply chain. Data Providers don’t have to set
up/develop/maintain any additional B2B channel as data will be disclosed through
NxtPort whilst they control the sharing rules. Moreover, they make use of “state of
the art” data sharing and identity/API/security management functionality over time.
9. To NxtPort: Isn't there a conflict with shipping lines owning terminals?
Forwarders may have valuable data for terminals, but confidential for
shipping lines.
That issue can easily be avoided through creation of “basic data API’s” that only
disclose commercially non-sensitive data elements, but operationally required ones.
“Richer data API’s” will be built and made available in the NxtPort marketplace too,
but the Data Provider will set the data sharing rules as to what Data Users ( = specific
legal entity and or a Line of Business) can consume this more rich data set. At any
moment, the Data Provider can switch off data sharing for any entity they have
white listed.
10. Which parties are currently providing data to the Customs Export App?
The Customs Export app makes use of two data sources, and makes it possible to
make 1+1 resulting in 3. On the one hand site the data from the Statistics App is re-
used. The Statistics App collects all manifest data from the Ground Handlers. On the
other side, the Forwarders who join in the Customs Export App can share a customs
message (IE507: arrival of the goods notification) to the BRUcloud. The combination
of this data creates the added value and makes it possible for Customs to confirm
the export of these shipments more quickly and paper-less. More information about
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the Customs Export App can be found under: https://brucloud.com/apps/customs-
export-app
11. Can the equipment booking app be used for uld management,replacing
current procedures with LUC etc?
The Equipment Booking App can be used for all pooled equipment . E.g: if you have
a type of Equipment you want to pool, and make available for booking by other
parties, the following steps need to be followed:
- Which parameters are important to know when a party requests the usage of
your equipment (this can even be a meeting room you want to rent out in your
offices :-)). A new booking request form and parameters are created for your
equipment type.
- You will get the “Supplier role” in the Equipment Booking App, where you can
manage the availability of your equipment. (In case of a meeting room: define
the opening hours for the different rooms, the capacity and if this meeting room
has a whiteboard and a beamer available).
- Bookers who are interested in your equipment, and which have enabled the
Equipment Booking App, can now see your equipment ready for booking. When
they start a request, they will be asked for values for your defined booking
parameters. (How many people? Which extra material do you need? Start and end
hour?...)
12. What does API means?
API stand for Application Programming Interface. The following movie explains it
perfectly in 3 minutes ;-).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7wmiS2mSXY
For those who do not have three minutes:
An API is the waiter between your table and the kitchen in a restaurant. He makes
it possible that your request gets to the kitchen, and that you get your food after
you request was processed by the kitchen. The waiter (API) makes sure that multiple
tables (multiple application, in house systems…) can request food in the kitchen (the
place where the data is processed) and all get the correct plate (the response you
are expecting from the database) back. So via the API of google maps, the google
maps data can be re-used in different other applications where the maps and
locations, which are available via Google Maps can be reused.
13.What can be the quick wins for a forwarder and the BRUcargo
community?
Quick wins depend on the applications you want to use. For each of our apps the
added value and wins are listed on the app-pages ( https://brucloud.com/apps ).
The quick wins for Forwarders which come immediately to mind are:
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- Eliminating waiting times at the GHAs’ facilities with the Slot Booking App
- Eliminate paper-work and waiting times at Customs for export shipments with
the Customs Export App
