Multi-cargo terminals need more than isolated automation
When port cargo flows become more diverse, operational complexity grows quickly.
In a container terminal, many processes are standardized around boxes, vessel schedules, yard planning, gate activity and EDI exchange. But in a multi-cargo environment, the terminal may need to coordinate containers, liquid bulk, dry bulk, general cargo, Ro-Ro, vehicles and project cargo — each with its own rules, equipment, safety requirements and documentation logic. This is how the operational reality of many ports around Türkiye and the Black Sea is shaping today.
According to TÜRKLİM Sector Statistics, Turkish ports handled 553.3 million tonnes of cargo in 2025, including 169.7 million tonnes of liquid bulk, 160.9 million tonnes of dry bulk, 144.3 million tonnes of containerized cargo, 65.8 million tonnes of general cargo, and 12.4 million tonnes of vehicle / Ro-Ro cargo.
These figures show that port digitalization in the region cannot be reduced to container automation alone. It must support different cargo logics inside one operational framework.
Why operational decisions cannot be managed separately
In a busy terminal, every operational decision affects the next one.
Berth planning influences yard workload. Yard capacity affects equipment dispatching. Gate and truck flows influence internal congestion. Rail schedules change storage priorities. Cargo type affects safety requirements, documentation, handling equipment and service time. Within this picture, modern terminal operations can scarcely be managed efficiently as separate islands.
For terminal operators, this means that technology must connect different fronts of activity — not only digitize one process.
TOS as a digital operating environment
A modern Terminal Operating System goes beyond just a registry of cargo movements and becomes a digital operating environment that connects planning, execution, visibility, documentation and performance analysis.
Solvo.TOS is built around this principle. The system automates document flow, planning and execution of cargo handling operations, cargo and transport processing, resource allocation and performance analysis — bringing multiple business processes into one system.
The system supports the key operational fronts of a cargo terminal: vessel operations, rail operations, truck and gate management, yard activity, equipment control, cargo planning, billing, KPI monitoring and integrations with external systems.
For multi-cargo terminals, this matters because operational control depends on how well these processes work together.
Vessel and berth planning
Vessel operations are one of the most visible parts of terminal work, but they are also strongly connected to everything else: berth availability, cargo type, equipment planning, yard readiness, documentation and labour allocation.
Solvo.TOS supports vessel call management and berth planning. The system registers information about planned and arrived vessels, automatically builds vessel handling schedules, shows cargo volumes for loading and unloading, assigns handling equipment and tracks vessel handling in real time.
The system also supports berth planning: it uses vessel schedules to build a graphical plan for berth allocation, suggests time slots and berth sections based on vessel length, draft, berth availability and required handling performance, and highlights conflicting slots.
For terminals working with uneven cargo flows, this is important because berth planning cannot be separated from real operational capacity.
Yard visibility and cargo location
In multi-cargo terminals, yard visibility enables clear understanding of the current operational situation: storage zones, occupancy, equipment location, cargo characteristics and the next movement required.
Solvo.TOS includes a visual terminal topology editor that displays terminal zones, occupancy, roads, cargo location and handling equipment position. It also supports logical zoning and rule-based cargo placement.
The 3D visualization tools in Solvo.TOS show container and general cargo positions, the number of stack tiers, cargo characteristics such as number, volume, weight and quantity, and use colour indication for logical zones.
This type of visibility helps dispatchers and operators make faster and more informed decisions, especially when different cargo types and handling priorities intersect.
Rail operations and intermodal connectivity
For Black Sea and Middle Corridor logistics, rail connectivity is one of the key operational themes. But rail operations add their own layer of planning complexity: train schedules, wagon positions, loading rules, documentation, customs statuses and coordination with terminal equipment.
Solvo.TOS supports rail front management by visualizing railway tracks with their real capacity and linking them to terminal topology. The system can create train schedules, register actual data through OCR integrations, support wagon selection for train formation and plan loading / unloading according to technical requirements.
Gate, truck and yard coordination
Gate and truck processes are often where terminal inefficiencies become visible: queues, waiting time, wrong documents, unclear routing, lack of capacity or poor coordination with yard and berth operations.
Solvo.TOS supports gate and truck management by receiving and processing truck visit requests, supporting driver and vehicle pre-accreditation, building truck visit schedules through time-slotting, checking vehicles through OCR integrations, managing traffic with self-service kiosks and electronic boards, and issuing entry / exit passes.
For terminals that handle both containerized and non-containerized cargo, gate operations must adapt to different cargo rules, vehicle types, documentation packages and service windows.
Flexibility as an operational requirement
For ports around Türkiye and the Black Sea, flexibility is becoming a core requirement.
Cargo flows are diverse. Growth is uneven. Regional corridors are developing. Intermodal connectivity is gaining importance. Energy, bulk, general cargo, Ro-Ro and container flows all create different operational pressures.
In this environment, a TOS must do more than support standard container operations. It must connect vessel, yard, rail, truck, cargo, equipment, documentation, billing and analytics in one digital operating environment.
Solvo.TOS follows this approach: it supports different cargo types and terminal fronts, allows flexible adaptation through applied modules and applications, and helps terminals manage operations, resources, documents and performance within one system. For complex port environments, the system provides the ability to keep many moving parts visible, connected and manageable.
