# Terminal Operating System

A Terminal Operating System, or TOS, is a key part of a supply chain and primarily aims to control the movement and storage of various types of cargo in and around a port or marine terminal. The systems also enables better use of assets, labour and equipment, plan workload, and receive up-to-date information.
Terminal operating systems generally fall under one of two categories depending on supported cargo type, namely, containerized or non-containerized. Large container terminals typically require yard management functionality in a TOS, whereas bulk dry and liquid cargo terminals do not.
Terminal Operating Systems often use other technologies such as internet, EDI processing, mobile computers, wireless LANs and Radio-frequency identification (RFID) to efficiently monitor the flow of products in, out and around the terminal. Data is either a batch synchronization with, or a real-time wireless transmission to a central database. The database can then provide useful reports about the status of goods, locations and machines in the terminal.
The objective of a terminal operating system is to provide a set of computerized procedures to manage cargo, machines and people within the facility to enable a seamless link to efficiently and effectively manage the facility.
Terminal operating systems can be stand alone systems, managed as a service or use cloud technologies.
In its simplest form, the TOS can data track cargo in and out of a terminal.

## Functions

A Terminal Operating System may be used to do some or all of the following functions:

### Shipping

Terminals requiring various types of ship transport
Container terminals using Containerization for LO-LO (lift on Lift Off) operations such as these require plans for efficiently loading and unloading Container ships docked within their Terminal.
A port using RO-RO ships require plans for efficiently loading automobiles, trucks, semi-trailer trucks, trailers or railroad cars that are driven on and off the ship on their own wheels.

### Rail

Terminals that require the arrival and departure of cargo on trains such as container trains or bulk cargo.

### Road

Handle the receival and release of Cargo for transshipment from other modes of transport or storage.

### Yard management

Creating Shipping list or keeping track of Warehouse levels. Tracking machine moves around the terminal.

### Invoicing/Reporting

Invoicing and providing reports for internal and external use.

### Inventory

Keeping track of Inventory and storing its movements.

### Cargo Type

Various types of cargo can be managed dependent of terminal type. This includes containers, dry bulk, liquid bulk, break bulk and vehicles (roll-on/roll-off).

## External Clients

Terminals may wish to communicate with the following through their Terminal Operating System:
* Terminal operators
* Freight forwarder
* Shipping line or shipping agent
* Container operators
* Port authority
* Pilots, tugs and mooring gang
* Cargo owner (e.g. oil companies)
* Customs office

## Vendors/Suppliers

There are several suppliers of Terminal Operating Systems available.
* Autostore TOS, TBA Group
* Cofano
* CommTrac
* ContPark
* DynaPORT
* GullsEye
* Hogia
* INFORM
* Infyz
* iPortman
* LynkGrid
* Mainsail
* MarineBerth
* Master Terminal
* Navis
* Octopi (by Navis)
* OPUS Terminal
* OSCAR
* Realtime Business Solutions (RBS)
* Solvo.TOS
* Softpak
* Tideworks