Chennai Port Launches Port Setu Digital System to Track Export Containers

The Chennai Port Authority has formally launched 'Port Setu', a digital tracking system designed to monitor export containers travelling between inland container freight stations and the port gate. The system, which went live on September 17 and was formally inaugurated on Wednesday, marks the first operational step toward establishing a fully paperless port gate entry process.

Developed by the Chennai chapter of the National Association of Container Freight Stations (NACFS), Port Setu integrates automatic number plate recognition, optical character recognition, and RFID readers. The infrastructure is directly linked to the customs ICEGATE platform, allowing port authorities to record the precise time each trailer takes to journey from an inland warehouse or container freight station to the port terminal.

The deployment forms the initial phase of an Intelligent Vehicle Monitoring System (IVMS) being rolled out under the central government's One Nation One Port Process (ONOP) initiative. The central scheme aims to standardise and digitise operational procedures across major ports in India.

For freight stations and logistics operators, the primary benefit is greater operational efficiency. Port Setu provides real-time visibility of trailer arrivals directly at the port facility. Port authorities project that this live tracking will reduce truck turnaround times sufficiently to allow operators one additional round trip for every six trips currently completed.

Sachin S Kurve, chairperson of the Chennai Port Authority, said the system would provide enhanced visibility of container movements and help container freight stations optimise their trailer management.

The initiative will expand further under Phase 2 of the IVMS project. According to an official release, the subsequent phase will bring container terminals closer to an entirely paperless gate entry system by digitising the verification of container seal intactness.