Niels Juel Nielsen at Boxlink Shares His View on the New Cutting-Edge Automated Gate System

With an impressive 45 years of experience in the container shipping and road transportation industry, Niels Juel Nielsen, the owner, and founder of Boxlink, shares his insights about APM Terminals Aarhus and the game-changing automated gate system.

Can you tell us more about Boxlink?

Boxlink may be a small company, but we pride ourselves on our customized approach to transport solutions. Situated at the heart of The Port of Aarhus, we specialize in meeting the unique needs of smaller customers. Our services range from helping with customs clearance to handling specialized transport, such as oversized cargo and hazardous goods.

You've had a long relationship with APM Terminals Aarhus. What are your thoughts on the container terminal?

APM Terminals has been a great partner over the years. I've always appreciated the open dialogue I've had with their representatives, where my opinions and feedback are genuinely considered.

One of the things that really makes them stand out is their strong commitment to safety, which aligns perfectly with Boxlink's values. APM Terminals Aarhus is, without a doubt, the safest terminal in
Denmark. They provide clear safety instructions and regulations in multiple languages, ensuring our drivers can navigate the terminal safely.

In August, APM Terminals Aarhus introduced the automated gate system. What are your impressions of this new system?

The automated gate system is undoubtedly an improvement, and it's already showing promising signs of increased efficiency in truck handling. Usually, with new systems, there's a learning curve and a period of adjustment. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the automated gate system worked smoothly right from day one, with only minor disruptions. This indicates that the system was well-tested before going live. From a business perspective, having real-time visibility into container release status has proven very advantageous for our planning processes.

How have your drivers reacted to the new system?

Initially, some of our drivers were understandably unsure about using the new application. However, the majority have been pleasantly surprised by its user-friendliness and have adapted to it quickly. Their feedback has been mostly positive, highlighting the clarity of instructions and their newfound confidence in using the system. They no longer fear it and have embraced it as a valuable tool in their daily operations.