Cloud-Based eBusiness Standardization in the Maritime Supply Chain

Abstract

Currently the logistics related business processes are arranged error-prone and inefficient because of media disruptions at interfaces between the SC actors. A central goal is to largely exclude existing media disruptions through the implementation of a mediator. The presented work-in-progress article discusses the research project SMART SC—eBusiness Standardization in the maritime Supply Chain (SMART SC is funded by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology within the framework of the initiative eStandards. The research project has a large application-oriented focus with the goal of improving the efficiency of cross-company data communications in the maritime supply chain with respect to the road-related container traffic. The research project is running since 01.04.2012 and has a duration of three years. The first milestone was achieved in April 2013. The research project is a collaborative project between the partners a.i.o. IT for Logistics GmbH, dbh Logistics IT AG, i2dm consulting & development GmbH, Institute of Shipping Economics and Logistics (Project co-ordinator) and JadeWeserPort Zone Logistics GmbH & Co. KG.), which focuses on the sustainable improvement of inter-company communication structures in the port-related supply chain to increase national competitiveness in the international freight transport through the cross-company use of eBusiness standards. Data, information and documents accompanying the physical flow of goods must be exchanged in the cloud efficiently and with a minimal error rate between the participating companies in the supply chain, which presents an increasingly challenge with growing international transport volumes. The aim of SMART SC is to increase the efficiency of existing logistics processes along the entire container-related value chain in import and export to improve the performance of the physical processes (transport, handling, storage, etc.) through the harmonization of information, communication transaction means.