TIC 4.0 scope

The purpose of TIC4.0 is to define a common language that can be represented in an understandable format, including data and information elements suitable for digitization.

With the definitions and language, any reality (equipment or process) in a port terminal environment can be uniquely described. The vocabulary needs to work for any equipment, process and protocol (digital or human). The typical elements that make up the port terminal activities are cargo handling equipment (any kind of machine within the terminal that performs a job or task), external vehicles (trucks, vessels, trains), terminal infrastructure (berth, yard, gate), or auxiliary elements (energy, light, refuelling…).

For data-driven terminal operations, the subject of standardization concerns the data and information elements linking the digital solutions to the physical equipment and hardware.

To achieve the above goal TIC4.0 have developed a Semantic set of rules (based on human language) which helps in the creation process of the definitions/vocabulary. The definitions/vocabulary can be considered as the building bricks and together with the TIC4.0 semantic rules, allow the user to define any reality in a specific, unambiguous way, irrespective of the level of technology used in a terminal.

The vocabulary is managed in a Data Set, which is basically a one-dimensional database list. This list is not static but will grow exponentially when TIC4.0 continues to work on more and more segments and areas of a terminal.

The work of TIC4.0 is to define the individual entries of the Dictionary, focusing on a logical group or theme. In the Dictionary the user can see the status of each entry and which entries are published and a link to the definition is provided.

To apply the words in several digital protocols, a Data Schema is needed. TIC 4.0 will propose one for each of the most common protocols, but any protocol could be used. For the examples, TIC 4.0 usually uses JSON as it is very easy human readable.

Releases Content

Each publication will contain always a summary of:

1. TIC 4.0 scope

2. Semantic

3. Data Set

4. Data Model

5. New Definitions

1 to 2 are just a reminder. 3 and 4 will suffer incremental updates that can be follow through confluence. 5 will contain the new definitions and the updates of all definitions if necessary.

Releases Nomination

The way to nominate the releases is just “year.release” (ie. 2021.1; 2021.2; 2022.1). The content updated (to improve de definition or include extra content can be follow through confluence or through TIC 4.0 in the pdf format.