Demurrage cost reduction by 34% for a terminal in Świnoujście
We identified a bottleneck in digital document circulation. After implementing new procedures, verification time dropped from 2h to 38 minutes.
The terminal in Świnoujście was struggling with gate congestion, generating huge contractual penalties. The Sloenka Logistic GR team analyzed 1,247 passages and shortened clearance time by over an hour.
The challenge
At Baltic Hub North, truck drivers waited an average of 127 minutes just for customs and transport document verification. Every hour of redundant downtime cost the terminal 215 PLN in logistics fees. In July 2023, there were 483 cases where vehicles stood on the yard for too long only because documents were stuck in the office. Paper receipts circulated between security, the customs office, and the dispatcher, which was the main cause of chaos.
The situation was particularly difficult because errors in container numbers occurred in 14 out of 114 cases. This forced drivers to withdraw from ramps and queue up again. Terminal management saw they were losing not only money but also the trust of contractors from Scandinavia.
Our approach
In March 2024, we sent a 3-person Sloenka Logistic GR audit team to Świnoujście. For the first 12 business days, we changed nothing – we just measured time with a stopwatch and counted errors. We discovered that the most time was wasted on manual transcription of data from the CMR into the system.
Instead of implementing expensive software for hundreds of thousands, we went for a simple solution. We equipped gate security with tablets integrated into our database. We set clear rules: the driver either has a ready QR code, or the system doesn't let them in. It was a tough decision, but necessary to force order in the papers before reaching the barrier.
The solution
We implemented a pre-verification system that checks customs document compliance 4 hours before the planned arrival of the vehicle. If a document is missing even a comma, the forwarder receives an automatic alert. At the gate in Świnoujście itself, we installed 4 quick-scan points, eliminating the need for the driver to leave the cab.
Additionally, Sloenka Logistic GR took over direct contact with the customs office on behalf of the terminal. Thanks to this, questions about declaration errors are resolved in 14 minutes rather than 3 hours. The whole process has become transparent – the dispatcher sees every vehicle on the monitor that has exceeded 25 minutes of waiting and can react immediately.
Results
By changing procedures and eliminating paper circulation, the terminal regained operational fluidity and drastically reduced payments of downtime compensation.
Timeline
-
March 2024Field audit and analysis of the last 1,247 gate operations.
-
May 2024Launch of the pilot QR code scanning system at the northern gate.
-
July 2024Training 12 office employees and 8 terminal guards on the new procedures.
-
August 2024Full implementation and reporting of 34% savings.
"Sloenka Logistic GR didn't promise miracles; they just showed numbers. Previously, drivers argued with our security over minutes, and today everything goes smoothly. Penalty costs dropped by more than a third."