LSCT launches its new automated gate 

A step forward in the digitization of the Contship Group’s gateway terminal with a view to improving the efficiency and safety of access operations

The new automated gate at La Spezia Container Terminal (LSCT), operational from November 3rd, represents a further step in the digitization and innovation of the Contship Group’s La Spezia terminal.
The project, developed in collaboration with the Port System Authority of the Eastern Ligurian Sea and an internationally renowned technology partner, aims to make the terminal entry procedure faster, safer, and more efficient, improving the overall quality of service offered to truck drivers. Another important benefit concerns environmental sustainability: shorter waiting times will result in lower emissions.

Equipped with four access lanes, it can accommodate all types of traffic, including exceptional loads. The new system uses high-resolution cameras and optical character recognition (OCR) technologies, integrated into the gate’s GOS (Gate Operating System) software, which interacts with LSCT’s TOS (Terminal Operating System). The information collected allows the necessary technical checks for vehicles and their loads to access the operating area to be carried out automatically, ensuring high levels of accuracy and making the entire process more fluid.

The infrastructure includes OCR portals for detecting all information on transported containers and LPR cameras for recognizing vehicle license plates. The access/exit lanes are equipped with interactive totems, intercoms, barriers, traffic lights, and scales. These systems will allow truck drivers to complete gate-in procedures independently and safely.
The launch was preceded by a series of tests carried out during the summer and continuing until October, with positive results achieved thanks to the cooperation of truck drivers.

“This project is the first step in the innovation process of our La Spezia gateway,” said Matthieu Gasselin, CEO of Contship. “It is a significant investment aimed at simplifying access procedures and improving the efficiency of our terminal operations. I would like to thank the Port System Authority and the LSCT team involved in achieving this important goal”.

The new infrastructure confirms the leading role of La Spezia Container Terminal in the national terminal landscape, contributing to the modernization and competitiveness of the Port of La Spezia and, more generally, of the Mediterranean port system.