China Merchants Port Holdings Co., Ltd. (“CMPort” or “the Company”, HKSE code: 00144) and its subsidiaries China Merchants Holdings (International) Information Technology Co., Ltd. (“CMHIT”) held a Cloud Signing ceremony with the Thessaloniki Port Authority S.A.(“ThPA”) in Shenzhen, Greece and Hong Kong. The three parties signed two agreements on the strategic cooperation and port information system.
At the signing ceremony, Dr. Bai Jingtao, Managing Director of CMPort, and Franco Nicola Cupolo, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of ThPA, signed the “Cooperation Agreement”; then, Wang Pei, General Manager of CMHIT, and Franco Nicola Cupolo signed “CTOS Cooperation Contract”. Li Yubin, Deputy General Manager of CMPort, presided over the signing ceremony.
“CM Chip” developed by CMHIT is the core of a Smart Information Service Platform. According to the agreement, ThPA will be the first to install CTOS system in the European market, as a demonstration and promotion window for the TOS project and related IT solutions to enter the European market; CMPort will take the advantage of its influence and port network to enhance the reputation of Thessaloniki Port Authority and promote the port of Thessaloniki to become an important port for goods entering and leaving Europe.
In his speech, Bai Jingtao said, “The port of Thessaloniki is the largest comprehensive port in the Aegean Basin and the second largest container port in Greece. It has a long history, outstanding location and shipping advantages. It is not only the main import and export gateway in northern Greece, but also an important channel and logistics hub linking Europe and Asia.
Bai Jingtao emphasize that, “CM Chip” is a core part of Smart Information Service Platform innovated by CMPort, it comprises of container and bulk cargo TOS systems, further of park management and billing systems. It is one of the most advanced port operating systems in the world. Moreover in light of the global port network of CMPort, it brings to industry stakeholders a mature ecology of systems. We believe that this successful cooperation is not limited to a system marching overseas in Europe, but also a promotion of the two parties in the port areas of Europe and Asia, which can be recognized another success and practice of the initiative of “Belt and Road”.
Thanos Liagkos, Executive Chairman of BoD, Thessaloniki Port Authority S.A., emphasized in his speech, “The signing of cooperation agreement with CMPort marks a major step forward for Thessaloniki Port Authority because this cooperation fully supports us achieving the promise of developing innovative strategies and sustainable operations, it will benefit the Greek economy and the supply chain in southeastern Europe.”
Wang Pei said, ” The CTOS project in Thessaloniki will be an important milestone for CMHIT to enter the IT market of European port and logistics industry. Through close cooperation with the ThPA project team, our IT team will adopt the most advanced technology, implement the latest system, provide the most high-quality services, apply the best practices of container terminals to ThPA, make the CTOS project in ThPA into a demonstration and window for smart ports, and conduct long-term cooperation with ThPA in a wider market.”
Franco Nicola Cupolo pointed out, “ThPA is implementing an extended investment plan and the curial point of these investments is the expansion of the Container Terminal, allowing to serve main liner container services and accommodate Ultra Large Container Vessels of 24,000 TEUs capacity. We believe, the implementation of CTOS will provide additional value to our shareholders, are investments and support significantly the transformation of Container Terminal to international standards. We are looking forward to the start of our cooperation with the CMPort and continuously promote sustainability to port’s development.”
About “CM Chip” and CTOS
“CM Chip” is port and terminal operation management solution of CMPort, which involves comprehensive management of various production factors such as people, finance, cargo, and business. TOS is the core component of “CM Chip”, CTOS is one of TOS products, CTOS is adopting modular structure, the basic functions include Planning And Control System (PACS), Document Information System (DIS), with capacity to expand to smart port intelligent module, such as Automated Gate, Yard Crane Remote Control, Automatic Planning, Automatic Yard Planning, Tandem operations Planning, Trailer Full-field Scheduling, Due Cycle of Loading and Discharge, etc. CTOS integrates real-time data, intelligent planning and control, graphical display, monitoring and warning, simulation and forecast, it provides an optimized business process management platform for container terminals, which will improve the port’s container throughput and customer service quality, thereby having a decisive role to enhance the port’s core competitiveness.
