In many facilities, operations run one way and software runs another. Essentos is a TOS that closes that gap with a simple, demanding idea: The container is the center and everything else organizes around it. That approach is not an add-on or a separate bundle. It’s a design philosophy we call C-CORE (Container-Centric Orchestration, Rules & Evidence), the invisible foundation we used to build Essentos so day-to-day work becomes predictable, traceable, and measurable.
Result: Less dwell, fewer reattempts, fewer penalties, and fewer minutes in line, without swapping hardware and while leveraging what you already have.
What does it mean to put the container at the center?
It means people, processes, and data treat the container as the unit of truth, and the physical and documentary states move forward together. When that happens, noise drops and available capacity per shift rises.
- Dwell: The time a container remains idle between two relevant milestones inside the facility. Reducing dwell frees space and lowers demurrage/detention risk.
- Truck Turn Time (TTT): Minutes from truck gate-in to gate-out. Lower TTT prevents congestion and improves the driver experience.
- Orchestration: Processes turned into clear tasks with prerequisites, defined ownership, and closure with evidence.
- Evidence: Photos, reads, weights, signatures, license plates, and user/device/time/location stamps per event. Without evidence, there’s no traceability.
What is C-CORE and why does it matter if it’s “invisible”?
C-CORE is the operating philosophy that guides how we design and configure Essentos TOS:
Container-Centric Orchestration, Rules & Evidence = Container, Orchestration, Rules, and Evidence.
- It is not a product and not a “special mode.”
- It is not a separate process you “switch on.”
- It is the way we think and build Essentos so every decision starts from the container, executes with simple rules, and leaves minimum required evidence.
That “invisible software” creates real advantage: Less friction, Self-validating data, and KPIs that reflect what actually changes the shift. Other systems can copy screens; copying a design philosophy is a different league.
C-CORE Principles
- Container first: Every decision starts from its real status.
- Simple orchestration: Short checklists, clear prerequisites, visible ownership.
- Exit-oriented rules: Placement, pre-staging, and sequencing look to the next milestone.
- Minimum required evidence: Just what adds value, no bureaucracy.
- Continuous measurement: KPIs that matter for ops and customers, not vanity metrics.
Essentos functionalities aligned with C-CORE
- Role-based orchestration with prerequisites: Valid documents, verified identity, available location, active time window.
- Pre-validations before gate and before handoff to avoid in-yard rejections and recirculation.
- Evidence capture (automatic and manual): License plate and container reads, weights, condition photos, signatures, and geo-stamps.
- API/EDI integrations with your TOS/WMS/ERP/PCS, scales, and readers already in place.
- Exception handling with assignment, guided action, and traceable closure.
- Weekly improvement loop: Adjust rules based on incidents and KPIs.
What if you’re running another TOS today?
We don’t force cold cuts. Essentos coexists and integrates with your current TOS to test, measure, and de-risk. Once the team sees improvements and ROI, migrating to Essentos stops being a leap of faith and becomes a financial and operational decision.
Low-risk migration path
- Discovery: Mapping of critical flows.
- Light integration: States, events, and evidence.
- Controlled parallel: Two flows with shared KPIs.
- Phased cutover: By process families on low-load days.
- Adoption: In-field training and rule review.
Typical outcome: Fewer redundant licenses, Lower support cost, Faster change velocity, and an operation that doesn’t break when rules need adjusting.
Measurable examples your team can verify
1) Urban depot with high rotation
Context: Capacity 1,200 TEU; 80% average occupancy; 3.2 days dwell.
Action with Essentos: Exit-oriented placement rules, prerequisites before release, evidence at handoff.
Result: Dwell 2.6 days after 45 days.
Calculation: 0.6 days × 960 TEU average occupancy = 576 TEU-days returned to the cycle per week.
Translation: More usable slots without expanding the yard and lower penalty exposure.
2) Intermodal ramp with uneven queues
Context: TTT avg 62 min; 90th percentile 94 min; first-attempt success 71%.
Action: Gate prerequisites, 30-minute appointments, document checklist before opening the work order.
Result: TTT avg –18% (51 min), p90 –22% (73 min), first-attempt success +12 pp.
Impact: 300 trucks/day × 11 minutes saved = 55 hours of waiting removed per day.
3) Yard with high rehandles
Context: 0.7 rehandles per useful move; 400 moves/shift.
Action: Exit-oriented rules and pre-staging by train or pickup window.
Result: 0.7 → 0.4 rehandles.
Impact: 0.3 × 400 = 120 rehandles avoided per shift. At 2.5 min each, that’s 300 minutes freed per shift.
4) Disputes on condition and timing
Context: 28 disputes/month; 9-day resolution; 42% favorable.
Action: Mandatory evidence by incident category and a disputes board with internal SLA.
Result: 28 → 14 disputes; 4-day resolution; favorable closures +20 pp.
5) Export with early train arrival
Context: Train arrives 45 minutes early; last-minute maneuvers and gate queues.
Action: Pre-staging by train window, protected critical lanes, and time-slot alerts.
Result: –35% last-minute moves; on-time train +8 pp.
Every site has its unique reality and adaptation. The data above reflects some of our customers and how Essentos impacted their facilities.
How do we deploy Essentos under the C-CORE philosophy without stopping operations?
Week 1: Field discovery, baseline for dwell, TTT, reattempts, and disputes.
Week 2: Minimum viable rules and 5–7 step checklists. Light integration and live boards.
Week 3: Rule tuning by root cause. Mandatory evidence on key events. Time-window alerts.
Week 4: Consolidation and impact report: Dwell, TTT, reattempts, disputes, and penalties.
Data governance that makes improvement possible
- Controlled catalogs: Container types, incident categories, zones, and rejection reasons.
- No free text on critical fields: Customer, flow, milestone, status, exception reason.
- Trustworthy stamps: User, device, time, and location per event.
- Useful retention: Keep evidence long enough for audits and customer care.
- One visible state: Documentary and physical in the same view to avoid contradictions.
How do we design exit-oriented rules?
- Identify the next dominant milestone per flow: Train, pickup, inspection, transshipment.
- Define preferred locations and alternatives by compatibility, height, and safety.
- Protect critical zones to avoid last-minute rehandles.
- Set max stack heights by equipment and safety.
- Measure the effect on rehandles and TTT by time band.
- Adjust weekly by root cause, not intuition.
Exceptions: From signal to action
Practical taxonomy
- Documents: Releases, VGM, permits, restrictions.
- Identity: Invalid driver or license plate.
- Location: Safety, height, or rack incompatibility.
- Time window: Out-of-range appointment or early train.
- Inspection: Hold or condition detected.
Standard response
- Assign to a role, short checklist, and minimum evidence.
- Time limit and block the next milestone.
- Close with root cause and learning to prevent recurrence.
KPIs Essentos watches from day one
- Dwell by flow family and zone.
- TTT average and 90th percentile.
- First-attempt success at gate.
- Rehandles per useful move.
- Open disputes, days to resolution, and favorable closure rate.
- Demurrage/Detention by customer and root cause.
- Effective occupancy and zone utilization.
- On-time alert handling and SLA compliance.
Frequently asked questions
Does Essentos replace my current TOS on day one?
Not required. We can coexist with your current TOS, integrate states and evidence, measure impact, and migrate when it makes economic and operational sense.
Do I need to change hardware?
No. We leverage your existing scales, readers, and equipment wherever possible.
Who defines rules and checklists?
Your team and ours, together, in the field. We prefer six rules everyone follows to twenty nobody remembers.
When will I see results?
Within 4 weeks you’ll see reattempts and TTT trending down. Dwell reduction typically consolidates in 8 to 10 weeks.
Ready to validate Essentos in your facility?
We propose a 30-day Impact Trial on two operational flows. We walk the yard with your team, implement rules and evidence, and measure dwell, TTT, reattempts, disputes, and penalties.
Essentos is the TOS. C-CORE is the philosophy that makes it perform.
Everything around the container.