Hans Bobeldijk, CEO at UAB-Online explains why liquid bulk terminals must move from arrival timing to operational readiness
For many years, Just in Time (JIT) in shipping has been discussed primarily in the context of vessel arrival. The underlying idea was straightforward: optimise speed so ships arrive neither too early nor too late, thereby reducing anchorage congestion, fuel consumption and idle time. While this logic still holds value, it is no longer sufficient for liquid bulk operations, where terminal performance, safety constraints and regulatory requirements ultimately determine the efficiency of a port call.
In other transport sectors, this challenge is addressed differently. In container shipping, terminals work with slot-based planning, allocating fixed time windows for vessels. In aviation, airport slots provide a comparable mechanism for end-to-end schedule alignment. These models enable arrival timing to be closely linked to operational readiness.
Liquid bulk operations operate under fundamentally different conditions. Cargo-specific processes, safety considerations and variability between port calls make such slot-based planning far more complex. In addition, the ‘sail fast, then wait’ operating model and existing commercial agreements between charterers, traders and operators mean that end-to-end JIT coordination across the entire supply chain is not yet a practical reality for most liquid bulk terminals.
This article does not argue that these industry-wide dynamics can be changed overnight. Instead, it focuses on the no-regret steps that liquid bulk terminals can take today, independently of broader supply chain alignment, to strengthen their own operations and prepare themselves as enablers for a future in which JIT operations become increasingly relevant.
Crucially, these steps are not justified by a future JIT scenario alone. They deliver immediate operational value today by reducing coordination effort, improving predictability and increasing control over terminal operations. Even if industry-wide JIT adoption remains gradual, terminals that take these steps, strengthen their operational resilience, customer experience and strategic optionality.
JIT is not about arrival timing, but about operational readiness. Without JIT operations, JIT arrival simply shifts inefficiency instead of removing it. This does not diminish the value of voyage optimisation or arrival planning. On the contrary, these elements become significantly more effective once terminal operations are predictable and operational readiness is in place.
Inefficiency Starts Long Before Arrival
Liquid bulk operations are highly interdependent, yet planning and execution are often fragmented. Vessel schedules, berth planning, cargo readiness, inspections, surveys and compliance-related documentation are frequently managed in silos, supported by emails, spreadsheets and last-minute phone calls.
As a result, many inefficiencies observed at the berth are symptoms rather than root causes. Late ETA changes, incomplete documentation, misaligned readiness between vessel and terminal, or delayed inspections can quickly cascade into extended port stays.
When stakeholders are only brought into the process shortly before arrival, there is little room to absorb disruption without impacting the schedule. For terminal operators, this leads to fluctuating berth utilisation and reactive operations. For charterers and cargo owners, it creates uncertainty around agreed laycan windows. For vessels, it results in waiting time either at anchor or alongside, despite having arrived ‘on time’ by traditional definitions. The reality is that many operational issues originate days, or even weeks, before the vessel reaches port. Without shared visibility and early coordination, JIT arrival alone cannot resolve them.
What ‘Just-In-Time’ Really Means for Bulk Liquid Storage Terminals
In this context, JIT is no longer just about timing arrival at the pilot station or anchorage. It is about synchronising readiness across the entire port call. A modern JIT approach aligns voyage optimisation with berth availability, cargo readiness, inspection schedules, resource planning and regulatory processes well in advance of arrival. Arrival, in this sense, does not mean arrival at anchorage, but arrival at the terminal at a moment when all operational prerequisites are in place.
The objective is not simply to reduce anchorage time, but to shorten total terminal stay and time alongside, and improve predictability from arrival through to departure. When readiness is aligned early, vessels can adjust speed with confidence, terminals can plan resources more effectively, and downstream logistics can rely on more accurate schedules.
Operational Excellence & Connected Operations
JIT operations only work when they are built on a solid operational foundation. Without standardised processes and reliable execution, earlier planning merely shifts uncertainty further upstream. Operational excellence starts with clarity: clear roles, defined handovers and consistent workflows across port calls. Standardised data, harmonised milestones and shared terminology reduce misunderstandings and rework, particularly in an environment where safety and compliance already impose a significant administrative burden.
Digital workflows increasingly form the backbone of this foundation. By replacing fragmented communication with shared processes, terminals reduce coordination effort and create a single operational picture for all stakeholders. Connected port operations build on this foundation by bringing terminals, agents, surveyors, marine service providers and vessels together around shared planning and real-time information. Changes become visible earlier, their impact easier to assess, and responses more coordinated.
A Practical Roadmap to Making JIT Operations Achievable
For many terminals, JIT operations can sound like an ideal end state that requires full participation across the supply chain. In practice, JIT operations are not achieved in one leap, but through a series of pragmatic steps that terminals can take themselves.
Each step delivers immediate value on its own, while gradually building the foundation for more advanced JIT capabilities.
Phase 1: Creating a digital foundation
The journey typically starts with digitising maritime operational processes at the terminal. Digitalising ship-to-shore communication, documentation and safety processes delivers immediate safety improvements and efficiency gains, while significantly reducing email and phone traffic. Standardising the pre-arrival to departure process further improves arrival reliability, shortens terminal stays and increases customer satisfaction by creating consistent expectations for all parties involved.
Phase 2: Becoming predictable
Once processes are digital and standardised, terminals can adopt digital planning for berths, outages and resources. This increases planning accuracy, optimises berth occupancy and helps reduce demurrage exposure. Sharing this planning selectively with key operational stakeholders reduces the need for constant alignment calls and creates transparency across the supply chain. Importantly, it enables vessels and service providers to perform their own just-in-time planning based on confirmed terminal readiness.
Phase 3: Driving performance and scale
With planning and execution aligned, terminals can begin tracking performance across the port call, including waiting times, berth utilisation and operational delays. As a result, structural delays become visible and can be addressed systematically rather than reactively. Sharing performance improvements and results with stakeholders encourages broader adoption across the supply
chain. At this stage, JIT operations evolve from a terminal capability into a shared operating model that scales efficiency beyond a single location. Importantly, terminals do not need full supply chain participation to start this journey. Each step delivers a clear ‘what’s in it for me’ benefit, creating natural incentives for stakeholders to join over time.
Optimising Timing for Operational Gains
Where JIT is applied only at the level of arrival timing, inefficiencies often reappear alongside the berth. Vessels may arrive precisely on schedule, yet still encounter delays due to incomplete documentation, unavailable manpower or misaligned inspections. By contrast, JIT operations address these issues before the vessel arrives. In practice, terminals operating in mature, connected environments, experience fewer disruptions at critical handover points, more stable berth planning and a significant reduction in ad-hoc coordination.
The result is shorter terminal stays, fewer phone calls and less manual paperwork. From a customer perspective, increased predictability and operational reliability are key drivers of satisfaction, particularly for terminal customers managing tight laycan commitments.
Looking Ahead
Against this backdrop, JIT is no longer about optimising arrival times, but about designing operations around readiness. Terminals that take pragmatic no regret steps today improve their current performance while keeping strategic options open for the future. By moving from reacting to vessels to actively orchestrating the port call, they create predictability, resilience and a scalable foundation for a more connected and efficient liquid bulk supply chain.
