Building blocks of a digital platform
MGI, a cargo community systems specialist, is developing apace – and simultaneously keeping its origins in sight. In an interview Dominique Lebreton underlines the fact that the IT firm, founded in 1985, is set on internationalisation (see also page 6), on new offices in its home town of Marseille next year and on adding employees (from 48 to 55). It will simultaneously keep its pioneering spirit alive.
Mr Lebreton, Ci5 has been around for over a year now. What are the benefits?
With Ci5 we’ve taken the dematerialisation of certain processes that used to be very cumbersome to a new level. Ports that aren’t very advanced on this front take up to a week to shift goods across the quays and then clear them through customs.
When we launched ‘Protis’ in the 1980s we managed to reduce customs clearance procedures to one day, and with the subsequent introduction of ‘AP+’ in 2005 we further cut this to six minutes. With the development of Ci5 it now takes seconds, which means that 80% of the goods pass through the port of Marseille Fos in less than 36 hours.
How does your solution achieve this?
Thanks to the integration of new technologies such as blockchain and artificial intelligence, Ci5 collects the information pertaining to one single consignment and makes it available directly to the freight community, which speeds up the shipment clearance process. Additional process management by the system also ensures far greater efficiency.
This approach seems to be based on a broad understanding of the processes.
That’s right. It covers 15 different fields of activity. When we were developing Ci5 we went about the programming steps in an extremely user-centric way. We sat down with users – from both the private sector and from the authorities – in workshops to find out exactly what they need.
So now you’re ready for Brexit?
Our clients on the French side of the Channel, such as the port of Dunkirk, are prepared. Studies have shown that one lorry delayed at customs clearance is enough to cause a large traffic jam. With Ci5, this process runs smoothly – and safely.
Where has Ci5 been implemented?
The port of Marseille Fos was first in October 2018, followed by Tahiti. Dunkirk is next (early 2020) and then Bordeaux, Sète and the Breton ports of Brest, Lorient and Saint-Malo, and Lyon will follow. Finally French Guyana, New Caledonia, Mayotte and Martinique will also follow suit.
These are all ports in Francophone regions. When will Ci5 become international?
As it is based on open source technology, the solution is very easy to implement. I’m not just saying that as a sales pitch; it’s been confirmed to me several times from many different sides. Ci5 has also won awards and prizes, such as one from the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) in 2017, and a Trophée de la Transformation Numérique in March, where we – an SME, don’t forget! – won a prize, together with large and reputed firms such as Renault, SNCF and Air France.
Of course our medium-term development strategy aims far beyond the borders of France itself. I can’t name any names yet, unfortunately, but we’re currently conducting negotiations with companies both in as well as outside of Europe.
What points do you have in your overall repertoire that will most help to convince your potential clients?
What has been pushing us and has distinguished us for more than 30 years is the spirit of innovation with which we drive digitalisation forward. Just think of our latest offer to road hauliers to also use Ci5 whilst on the move.
Our new app can be described as a cargo community system in your pocket. It will make data exchange beyond the port compound easier and faster. The application offers very innovative functions for maritime transport that are already well-known from the airfreight sector, including that a driver can use his smartphone to add photos to the data exchange.
What are MGI’s short-term goals?
Because we consider our company to be a key building block for a French digital platform, we’ve created a structure called ‘MGI Lab’. It will enable us to continue to research new technologies and gradually formalise them to create new services.
This is all part of an innovative new system in which other start-ups and bright minds can also play their part. In any case, we’d be glad to welcome them to our new premises.
