TSA Insight Magazine Issue 26 - Magazine - Page 22
TURNING TERMINAL
C O M P L E XI T Y I N T O
O P E R AT I O N A L
RESILIENCE
Future-ready
terminals need
more than cloud
software or isolated
automation. They
need an independent
operating layer that
connects IT and OT,
brings operational
data into context,
and keeps future
technology choices
open.
Monica Hildinger, Co-CEO,
customer changes a
nomination. Planning
adjusts the schedule.
Operations revise the
loading sequence. Inventory, documents,
automation systems, and external
interfaces must follow.
A
In a connected terminal, this is a
controlled process. In a fragmented
environment, the same change can
trigger manual updates across several
systems.
Tank terminals are complex by
design. They manage different products,
transport modes, customers, regulatory
duties, and safety-critical activities. Many
facilities also depend on infrastructure
that has evolved over decades and
must remain available during any
modernisation programme.
OpenTAS
The pressure on this operating
model is growing. Conventional fuels
increasingly
share
infrastructure
with biofuels, synthetic fuels, and
other emerging energy carriers.
Reporting and traceability demands
continue to rise. Cybersecurity
now affects operational planning,
not only IT policy. At the same time,
customers expect faster updates, greater
transparency, and reliable information
about stock and product movements.
The task is clear: protect today’s
22
I N S I G H T
M AG A Z I N E
operation while keeping tomorrow’s
options open.
When isolated automation reaches
its limits
Terminals have invested heavily
in digitalisation and automation.
Loading systems, field equipment,
planning tools, inventory applications,
and reporting solutions often perform
well within their defined areas.
Specialist applications can optimise
individual processes, such as truck
loading or inspection management.
Problems arise when those processes
do not share the same operational
context.
A product change may require
updates across several applications.
Teams may enter the same information
more than once. Spreadsheets and
local workarounds often bridge gaps
between systems. Small changes can
then demand significant coordination.
These hidden dependencies make
performance harder to scale across
shifts, sites, and business units. They
also make future changes slower,
riskier, and more expensive. Adding
another
standalone
application
rarely resolves the underlying issue.
Terminals need a common operating
model that connects individual
processes from end to end.
Process clarity and connected data
A useful digital model starts with the
process, not the software. Operators
need to understand the full flow from
