Android mobile application
A vendor-supported Android application is available for the software.
terminal-operating-systems-mobile-android-app
Original specialist framework · Terminal operations
Terminal Operating System Capability Taxonomy
TechSelectAI uses a domain-specific TOS requirements model to structure terminal software discovery, evidence research, comparison and buyer requirement capture. The current framework contains 85 specialist operational criteria across nine TOS modules, with 3 mobile-access criteria tracked separately.
Taxonomy depth is not evidence depth. A criterion appearing here means it is relevant to TOS evaluation; it does not mean every product supports it. Product support is established separately from evidence and may remain not yet verified.
Cross-category selection criteria
Mobile Access
3 buyer-selectable criteria.
iOS mobile application
A vendor-supported iOS application is available for the software.
terminal-operating-systems-mobile-ios-app
Mobile web access
The software provides vendor-supported mobile web or responsive browser access.
terminal-operating-systems-mobile-web-access
TOS operational module
Vessel & Berth Planning
11 buyer-selectable criteria.
Vessel & berth planning / execution
Plan and execute vessel calls, berth allocation, stowage or quay work using terminal-operational data.
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Carrier vessel-plan collaboration
Exchange vessel plans, updates, approvals or planning data with shipping lines and external planners.
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Twin / tandem lift planning
Plan or validate twin, tandem or multi-lift quay operations where equipment and stowage rules allow.
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Restow & vessel rehandle planning
Plan and track restows, hatch-related moves and vessel rehandles required by the working sequence.
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Quay crane work queues
Generate, prioritize and execute quay-crane work queues and move instructions.
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Quay crane split planning
Assign vessel work across quay cranes, crane ranges, bays or work areas and manage crane split plans.
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Discharge / load sequencing
Sequence discharge and load work to coordinate quay operations, yard readiness and vessel constraints.
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Stowage & bay planning
Plan container positions, bays, decks, holds and stowage constraints for vessel load and discharge operations.
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BAPLIE import / export
Import, validate, update or export BAPLIE bay-plan messages used for vessel planning and exchange.
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Vessel call lifecycle management
Maintain vessel-call operational data from pre-arrival through working, completion and departure.
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Berth window & berth allocation scheduling
Plan berth windows, berth positions, arrival/departure timing and berth conflicts for vessel calls.
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TOS operational module
Yard Strategy & Inventory
11 buyer-selectable criteria.
Yard planning & container inventory
Plan yard allocation and maintain operational visibility of container locations, stacks, moves and inventory.
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Yard holds & exception management
Apply and manage yard-level holds, exceptions, restrictions and operational release conditions.
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Yard density & capacity visibility
Monitor yard capacity, occupancy, density, block utilization and congestion by operational area.
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Yard inventory reconciliation
Reconcile system inventory with physical yard locations, corrections, scans or operational confirmations.
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Empty container inventory management
Manage empty-container inventory, locations, types, lines, releases and operational movement.
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Rehandle minimization
Optimize stack choices and move sequences to reduce unproductive container rehandles.
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Housekeeping & remarshalling planning
Plan proactive yard housekeeping, remarshalling and reshuffles to prepare future work.
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Import / export / prestack segregation
Separate and plan import, export, transshipment, prestack or service-specific yard inventories.
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Automated decking / grounding decisions
Recommend or automate container grounding and decking positions based on configurable yard logic.
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Block / stack allocation planning
Allocate containers to yard blocks, rows, bays, stacks or zones using operational and cargo constraints.
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Configurable yard strategy rules
Configure yard rules for allocation, segregation, dwell, service priority, equipment type or operational strategy.
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TOS operational module
Gate, Truck & Landside Operations
11 buyer-selectable criteria.
Gate & truck operations
Manage terminal gate transactions, truck processing, interchange and related landside workflows.
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Truck turn-time & queue monitoring
Measure truck cycle time, lane queues, wait times and gate throughput for landside operations.
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Pre-gate & out-gate validation
Validate transaction eligibility before gate entry and before final out-gate completion.
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Gate customs / line / terminal holds
Enforce customs, shipping-line, terminal or regulatory holds during receipt and delivery decisions.
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Weighbridge & VGM workflows
Integrate weighing, gross-mass capture or VGM-related checks into applicable terminal transactions.
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Interchange / EIR processing
Create and manage equipment interchange, EIR or equivalent receipt/delivery transaction records.
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Automated gate lane orchestration
Coordinate lane devices, kiosks, barriers, OCR, scales and transaction steps for automated gate lanes.
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Driver identification & authorization
Identify and authorize drivers using configured identity, credential or access-control methods.
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Gate OCR / ANPR integration
Use or integrate OCR, container recognition and ANPR data for automated or assisted gate processing.
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Truck pre-advice & booking validation
Validate truck pre-advice, booking, release, container, visit and transaction data before gate processing.
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Truck appointment integration
Integrate or coordinate truck appointment and time-slot information with terminal gate execution.
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TOS operational module
Rail & Intermodal Operations
7 buyer-selectable criteria.
Rail / intermodal operations
Plan or execute rail and intermodal container movements within supported terminal operations.
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Rail interchange events
Capture rail interchange, handoff, arrival, departure and related intermodal operational events.
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Rail crane work queues
Generate and execute work queues for rail-mounted or rail-service handling equipment.
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Rail load / discharge planning
Plan rail discharge, loading and transfer sequences using train, yard and equipment constraints.
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Rail-yard inventory visibility
Track rail containers, wagons and rail-area inventory with operational location visibility.
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Wagon / consist planning
Plan wagon consists, slots, railcars and container assignments for rail loading and discharge.
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Train schedule & service management
Maintain train services, schedules, cutoffs, arrivals, departures and operational rail windows.
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TOS operational module
Equipment Dispatch & Automation
10 buyer-selectable criteria.
Terminal automation / ECS integration
Integrate terminal plans and work instructions with automated or semi-automated equipment control and execution systems.
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Equipment dispatch & control
Assign, dispatch, monitor or optimize work for terminal tractors, straddle carriers, quay cranes, RTGs, RMGs or other handling equipment.
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Job pooling & dispatch optimization
Pool, prioritize and optimize equipment jobs to reduce travel, delay and unproductive moves.
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Equipment status & downtime awareness
Use equipment availability, status, downtime or maintenance-state information in operational execution.
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Equipment position tracking
Use equipment-position or location data to support dispatch, execution, confirmation or optimization.
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VMT mobile work instructions
Deliver work instructions, confirmations and exceptions to vehicle-mounted or operator mobile terminals.
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AGV / ASC automated-equipment integration
Coordinate jobs and status with automated guided vehicles, automated stacking cranes or comparable automated equipment.
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Terminal tractor / straddle dispatch
Dispatch terminal tractors, straddle carriers or horizontal transport to operational jobs.
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RTG / RMG dispatch & work queues
Dispatch and sequence RTG/RMG work using yard priorities, equipment availability and move demand.
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Quay crane job execution
Dispatch and execute quay-crane jobs and related move instructions from vessel plans.
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TOS operational module
Reefer, DG & Special Cargo
7 buyer-selectable criteria.
Reefer, dangerous goods & special cargo controls
Support terminal handling workflows for reefers, dangerous goods, out-of-gauge or other specialized container/cargo requirements where explicitly documented.
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Container weight / VGM control
Store, validate or use container gross weight and VGM data in operational planning and shipment handling.
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Damage & inspection workflow
Record inspections, damage condition, exceptions, photos or related operational cargo/equipment findings.
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OOG & special-equipment handling
Manage out-of-gauge, special-equipment or exceptional-dimension cargo requirements in terminal workflows.
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Dangerous-goods segregation controls
Apply dangerous-goods class, segregation, location or handling restrictions in terminal planning and execution.
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Reefer temperature & alarm integration
Receive, display or act on reefer temperature, sensor or alarm information from supported systems.
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Reefer plug / unplug workflow
Track reefer plug, unplug, connection location, service status or related terminal reefer actions.
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TOS operational module
Integration, Data & Ecosystem
11 buyer-selectable criteria.
EDI, APIs & external-system integration
Exchange operational data with carriers, port authorities, customs, gate systems, financial systems or other applications through EDI, APIs or other interfaces.
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ERP / finance integration
Exchange customers, services, billable events, invoices or accounting data with ERP and finance systems.
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Reefer monitoring system integration
Integrate external reefer-monitoring platforms, sensors or alarm systems with terminal operational records.
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Gate / OCR subsystem integration
Integrate external gate automation, OCR, ANPR, kiosk or access-control subsystems with TOS transactions.
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Carrier booking & release integration
Integrate carrier bookings, releases, vessel data, container status or related shipping-line messages.
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PCS / customs / authority integration
Integrate terminal transactions with port community systems, customs, port authorities or government platforms.
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Event / webhook / streaming integration
Publish or consume operational events through webhooks, messaging, event streams or comparable integration patterns.
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REST / web-service API integration
Expose or consume documented APIs or web services for supported terminal business and operational integrations.
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MOVINS / BAPLIE vessel messaging
Exchange MOVINS work instructions and BAPLIE vessel-plan messages in supported carrier workflows.
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COPARN / COPRAR EDI messaging
Exchange COPARN booking/order and COPRAR load/discharge instruction messages or equivalent carrier EDI.
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CODECO / COARRI EDI messaging
Exchange CODECO gate and COARRI vessel-operation messages or equivalent standardized carrier EDI.
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TOS operational module
Billing, Analytics & Operational Control
9 buyer-selectable criteria.
Billing / tariff / financial integration
Capture billable terminal events, calculate tariffs/invoices, or integrate operational events with finance and billing systems.
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Operational visibility, analytics & KPIs
Provide real-time operational visibility, dashboards, simulation, productivity metrics, KPIs or decision-support analytics.
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Operational audit history
Preserve traceable history of operational transactions, changes, user actions and execution events.
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Volume / workload forecasting
Forecast container volume, workload, resource demand, congestion or operational pressure from available planning data.
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Simulation / what-if analysis
Model operational scenarios or test planning alternatives before execution.
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Productivity & equipment KPIs
Measure vessel, crane, yard, gate, rail, equipment and labor productivity using terminal-operational data.
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Shift / control-room dashboard
Provide real-time operational dashboards for shift managers, planners or control-room teams.
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Customer self-service portal
Provide customers with approved self-service access to status, bookings, orders, documents, invoices or service requests.
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Storage, tariff & service billing
Calculate or support storage, handling, service, tariff and event-based terminal charges.
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TOS operational module
Platform Architecture, Resilience & Security
8 buyer-selectable criteria.
Throughput & scale for large terminals
Support documented scaling patterns for high transaction, equipment, user, vessel or container volumes.
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Security & administrative audit logging
Record security-relevant, administrative or privileged-user activity for operational governance and investigation.
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RBAC / SSO / enterprise identity
Provide role-based access controls and enterprise authentication or SSO integration for operational and administrative users.
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Cloud / on-prem deployment flexibility
Offer documented deployment choices appropriate to enterprise terminal environments, such as cloud, on-premises or hybrid patterns.
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Multi-terminal / multi-site operation
Operate or centrally manage more than one terminal, facility or site while preserving operational separation.
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BCP / degraded or offline operations
Provide documented continuity, degraded-mode, offline or fallback operating patterns for critical terminal workflows.
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Disaster recovery & RPO/RTO controls
Support documented disaster-recovery patterns, recovery procedures or RPO/RTO targets for terminal operations.
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High availability architecture
Support redundant or clustered application/database architecture designed to reduce service interruption.
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Terminal Operating System implementation roadmap
A TOS implementation is an operating-model transformation touching vessel, yard, gate, equipment, billing, external interfaces and terminal-control processes. The implementation plan should therefore be built around terminal flows and exception recovery, not only application installation.
Why this matters: software selection is incomplete until the buyer can explain how the chosen solution will be configured, integrated, tested, cut over and supported. This framework is vendor-neutral; exact installation commands and sizing must come from the selected vendor and implementation partner.
1. Operational discovery
Freeze the target operating model before configuration.
- Map vessel, yard, gate, rail, equipment, reefer, dangerous-goods, billing and exception flows.
- Baseline truck turn time, yard rehandles, equipment productivity, berth/vessel KPIs and manual interventions.
- Define future-state responsibilities between operations, planning, IT, finance and external stakeholders.
2. Terminal model configuration
Translate the physical and operational terminal into controlled master data and rules.
- Model terminal layout, blocks, rows, stacks, lanes, berths, equipment, service definitions and calendars.
- Define yard strategies, work queues, allocation rules, operational statuses and exception codes.
- Document which behaviors are standard configuration, custom logic, companion module or external subsystem responsibility.
3. Integration & automation
Prove every operational interface and its recovery path.
- Catalogue EDI, API, PCS/customs, OCR/ANPR, gate, VBS, reefer, equipment-control, ERP/billing and reporting interfaces.
- Define idempotency, retries, sequencing, monitoring, reconciliation and manual fallback for each critical interface.
- Validate automation boundaries and safe degraded modes for equipment or gate subsystems.
4. Data migration & rehearsal
Enter cut-over with reconciled operational data.
- Classify master, reference, historical and open operational transactions.
- Run repeatable migration rehearsals with record counts, financial totals and operational reconciliations.
- Rehearse open vessel calls, yard inventory, appointments, holds, reefer and dangerous-goods states.
5. Operational acceptance
Test the terminal, not just screens.
- Run representative vessel, gate, yard, equipment and exception scenarios end-to-end.
- Load-test critical interfaces and peak operational windows.
- Test TOS/network/subsystem interruption, BCP operation and post-restore reconciliation.
6. Cut-over & stabilization
Make go-live controlled and reversible.
- Use a minute-by-minute cut-over plan with freeze windows and rollback criteria.
- Establish command center, vendor escalation, hypercare shifts and KPI monitoring.
- Compare post-go-live productivity and exception rates against the pre-implementation baseline.
Configuration and architecture questions
Use these questions during discovery, solution design, vendor workshops and implementation governance. They are intended to expose hidden dependencies before they become change requests.
Terminal topology
- How are blocks, lanes, berths, equipment and operational zones represented?
- Which changes require downtime, migration or re-planning?
- How are temporary or overflow areas governed?
Operational rules
- Which yard strategy, dispatch, planning and exception rules are configurable?
- How are rules versioned, approved and moved between environments?
- What operational behavior depends on custom code?
Interfaces
- Who owns carrier EDI mappings and external certificates?
- How are duplicates, late messages and replay handled?
- What is the manual fallback if a gate/OCR/PCS/equipment interface fails?
Resilience
- What functions remain available during WAN, database or subsystem outages?
- What RPO/RTO is contractually supported?
- How is open transactional state reconciled after recovery?
Implementation acceptance tests
A demo can establish product potential; acceptance testing must prove the configured solution in the buyer's operating model. These scenarios should be adapted into formal UAT and operational-readiness evidence.
| Scenario | What to prove | Evidence to retain |
|---|---|---|
| Vessel-to-yard flow | Discharge/load planning, execution updates, exceptions and inventory accuracy across a representative vessel call. | Scenario script, timestamps, inventory reconciliation, interface logs and business sign-off. |
| Truck gate journey | Appointment/pre-advice, OCR/ANPR, driver/truck/container validation, lane exception and completion. | Turn-time record, gate transaction logs, exception evidence and fallback result. |
| Yard exception | Unplanned location, blocked equipment, rehandle, hold, reefer or dangerous-goods exception without corrupting inventory. | Before/after inventory, work instructions, audit trail and supervisor approval. |
| Interface outage | Critical carrier/PCS/gate/equipment interface unavailable and later restored. | Queued/retried messages, reconciliation totals, manual workaround and recovery timing. |
| BCP recovery | TOS or core infrastructure interruption followed by controlled restoration. | RTO/RPO result, BCP transactions, reconciliation evidence and unresolved exceptions. |
Implementation evidence pack
Before final acceptance, retain an auditable package covering the following artifacts.
Architecture & scope
- Approved solution architecture
- Environment and responsibility matrix
- Licensed modules / edition scope
- Security and identity design
Configuration & data
- Configuration workbook and change history
- Master-data ownership and migration mapping
- Interface inventory and reconciliation rules
- Known limitations and accepted design decisions
Testing & cut-over
- UAT scenarios, defects and retest evidence
- Performance/resilience/recovery results
- Cut-over schedule and rollback criteria
- Business continuity and manual fallback procedures
Operations
- Monitoring and alert ownership
- Backup/recovery and DR runbook
- Support/escalation matrix and hypercare plan
- Upgrade/patch governance and periodic access review