Cargo handler Celebi will move to mandatory slot booking for trucks at its Frankfurt facility as it looks to meet an ongoing surge in cargo demand.
From June 1, the company will adopt software firm Dakosy's Fair@Link door management system that will in this case require truckers to book a time for drop-off or collection.
Christopher Licht, managing director at Celebi Cargo, said that the move comes as airfreight demand is booming, especially at Frankfurt Airport.
"After we decided on the target date of June 1, we worked together with platform operator Dakosy to draw up a detailed project plan to be able to start right on schedule," he said. "We wanted to offer the drivers smooth and, most importantly, Corona-compliant processes as quickly as possible.
"Of course, in the first few days any vehicles which haven’t booked slots will also be dispatched. However, when those drivers arrive on site they will have to use our self-service terminals to create a slot booking, so they then return and be dispatched according to the newly-generated time slots."
The system allows trucking companies to reserve slots before the start of the journey.
"As a result, by receiving all the information about scheduled deliveries and pickups early on, Celebi can plan its resources accordingly and avoid queues at check-in counters," Dakosy said.
"As soon as a slot changes, the system automatically informs the affected driver via SMS and sends an updated time slot," Licht added.
"This levels out any peaks and allows us to better ensure the required minimum distance between drivers and/or our staff. It’s crucial that everyone adhere to the following rules: book a slot in advance, record data accurately, and arrive on time."
Celebi is the third handler to connect to the system and Dakosy said that more are in the pipeline.
Ulrich Wrage, chief executive of Dakosy, said: "With each additional handler, the efficiency gains for the community increase.
"In addition to handling agents, trucking companies can also better plan their pickup and delivery processes, thereby saving trips.
"This, in turn, relieves traffic in Cargo City, reduces congestion, and speeds up handling processes overall."
Earlier this year, Frankfurt faced cargo congestion as some handlers struggled to deal with record volumes coming through Europe's largest cargo hub.
