The Port of Felixstowe is committed to seeking innovative ways of providing its customers with the optimum levels of efficiency and service.

As part of the drive towards improving its service to hauliers, the Port has developed the Road Haulage IDEntity System (RHIDES) and a Vehicle Booking System (VBS). Whilst RHIDES aims to secure the integrity of the supply chain, VBS will facilitate the enhanced management of the 4,000 lorry movements in and out of the Port each day.

Road Haulage IDEntity System (RHIDES)

The Port introduced its RHIDES initiative in November 2005, in response to the requirements of the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS). From 1st March 2007, it has been a mandatory requirement for drivers using the Port of Felixstowe to have a RHIDES card in order to gain access to the terminals to exchange containers. The cards do not increase the time taken to process drivers arriving at the Terminals, and, importantly, there is no charge to hauliers for registering their drivers for the cards.

Whilst the Port of Felixstowe already has an excellent record in combating container crime, the introduction of RHIDES cards is expected to provide a significant deterrent to container theft. In the longer term, the card could be used as a more secure method of releasing import containers to authorised drivers.

The Port decided upon the use of ‘chip' card technology for RHIDES, which stores the driver's name and some biometric data, in this case a hand-scan, as a means of identification.

Upon arrival at the Port, the driver places the card into a reader and his/her hand on a biometric scanner. If a valid card is presented, the Port's gate system records the number against the container and allows the driver to enter the 'Restricted Area' of the terminal.

Hauliers can register for RHIDES cards by visiting www.rhides.com

Vehicle Booking System (VBS)

Over 4,000 HGV drivers visit the Port of Felixstowe every week day. Although the Port offers a 24-hour service, 40% of these arrivals occur within a daily six-hour period.

To enable the Port of Felixstowe to improve its service level to hauliers and plan its yard resource more efficiently, VBS is being introduced at its Container Terminals.

By ensuring that drivers pre-book their containers for collection/delivery within certain allocated time slots, VBS will enable a better spread of jobs throughout the working day.

It became a mandatory requirement for all hauliers to have VBS bookings from January 2008, and the system is expected to become fully operational at the end of the 1st quarter of 2008.

Hauliers can register for VBS by visiting the Port of Felixstowe website at: www.portoffelixstowe.co.uk/vbs