Navis acquires Octopi terminal operating systems
With over 500 ports in North America that fall within our definition of very small or small terminals, Navis believes there are prime opportunities for an Octopi solution along the Mississippi River area as well as the Alaskan coastal area and in the Pacific Northwest.
Navis recently announced that it has acquired Miami-based Octopi, a cloud-based TOS built for small container and mixed cargo terminals. According to spokesmen, the strategic acquisition of Octopi strengthens Navis’ ability to provide toperating software solutions for its terminal customers, regardless of size.
With the addition of Octopi to its software portfolio, Navis is better positioned to support thousands of smaller terminals around the world that are eager to modernize terminal operations, yet lack the technology infrastructure and technical expertise required to support a full-scale N4 deployment.
Launched in 2015, Octopi is a modern and lightweight cloud-based TOS developed exclusively for container and mixed cargo terminals with throughputs around 100,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) per year. Currently in use at 10 sites in seven countries, Octopi promises to deliver TOS solution that enables its shippers to better manage their operations in vessel planning and yard management, track cargo and communicate electronically in real-time with their commercial ocean shipping partners.
Ray Schreiber, Director of Portfolio Product Marketing, Navis, told Supply Chain Management Review (SCMR)—a sister publiction— in an interview that their research during the Octopi due diligence process highlighted a real need for a lightweight TOS solution within very small and small (container & breakbulk) terminals as well river and inland terminals.
“Most customers today in these market segments are currently using manual methods and spreadsheets today to manage their operations,” he says. “Our own (and purchased) market research shows this market-solution fit strongest in the Caribbean region, South America and portions of Northern Europe and North America.”
With over 500 ports in North America that fall within our definition of very small or small terminals, Navis believes there are prime opportunities for an Octopi solution along the Mississippi River area as well as the Alaskan coastal area and in the Pacific Northwest.
Following the acquisition, Octopi will continue to operate out of its Miami headquarters under the direction of Castera, who will also be showcasing the Octopi solution and participating at the upcoming Navis World 2019 in San Francisco on March 25-28.
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