Getting smarter through collaboration

Since December 2023, Marieke Frensch has been leading APM Terminals Maasvlakte II as Chief Technical Officer through a major transformation. The goal: doubling terminal capacity while keeping sustainability and collaboration at the core. For Marieke, innovation is not a goal in itself, but a means to enhance reliability and efficiency in this highly automated terminal. Together with Camco Technologies, APM Terminals Maasvlakte II has built a strategic partnership where automation and human talent go hand in hand. This interview offers insight into their joint journey, lessons learned, and a bold vision for the future.

When APM Terminals Maasvlakte II began developing its automation plans, strong technology partners were key. Camco Technologies was involved from the start and played a crucial role in automating container flows across all modalities. “Our partnership with Camco goes far beyond technology,” Marieke explains. “We weren’t looking to automate for automation’s sake, but to create innovations that truly work for people and processes. Technology only succeeds when it's embraced across the organization.”

Jef De Geeter, COO of Camco Technologies, echoes the importance of collaboration: “We didn’t design our solutions from behind closed doors—we were right there in the terminal with key user groups. That allowed us to iterate fast and deliver real impact.”

To make innovation work, Marieke introduced multi-skilled teams and promoted full transparency and knowledge sharing between suppliers wherever possible. “Even a fully automated terminal runs thanks to the people behind it. By breaking down silos and encouraging collaboration, we’ve really been able to move forward,” she says.

To align with Maasvlakte II’s strategic goals, Camco Technologies worked closely with APM Terminals to develop advanced systems for automated identification, OCR, and logistics optimization. Technology played a crucial role in this development phase—but it was never the end goal. The mission was always to ensure a reliable, efficient, and error-free container flow. “The real challenge wasn’t just developing the technology—it was building something that didn’t exist yet,” Marieke stresses. “Our goal of being fully CO₂-neutral and automated meant rethinking every process. Everything had to be connected—no solution could stand alone.”

When the terminal went live in 2015, it was the result of a massive coordination effort. “Expectations were sky-high. But because everything was new and nothing worked perfectly at first, it was a challenge to meet them. Over time, we developed an integrated way of working that allowed us to learn and improve continuously. Small steps forward, supported by people—that made all the difference,” Marieke adds.

A key milestone in the partnership was the ‘Checker Inside’ project, which enabled crane operations without a checker on the crane. Despite a solid technical foundation, the OCR hit rate was initially too low. “This was the moment we had to put everything on the table,” Marieke recalls. Instead of focusing blame on a single supplier, they formed an interdisciplinary team—including superusers, software developers, and Camco’s technical experts—to work on the solution together.

“We follow a no-blame approach,” Marieke explains. “Mistakes are opportunities to improve processes and technology. It’s not about who made an error, but about finding solutions that truly work.” This approach led to major improvements in crane automation, OCR tuning, and maintenance optimization of Camco’s products. “If you work with the right, passionate people, there’s always a way forward,” Jef says.

Innovation in a container terminal often comes down to small tweaks that make a big difference. After all, three hundred improvements of 0.1% still add up to 30%. One example is the optimization of tandem operations. “At first, it was chaos,” Marieke laughs. “My first thought was: not again! But through collaboration and testing, we refined the software. Solving a problem isn’t always hard—what’s hard is solving it without creating five new ones.”

Thanks to a culture of continuous improvement, not only did the technology evolve, but trust between the partners grew. “That’s the difference between a supplier and a partner,” Jef adds. “A supplier delivers. A partner keeps thinking with you.”

Looking ahead, Marieke sees a growing role for AI, electrification, data-driven decision-making, and the integration of fully sustainable solutions. “The future isn’t just about automation. It’s about creating smarter, safer, and more sustainable processes. We want to double our capacity while improving reliability across the entire asset lifecycle.”

Jef stresses that technology must remain flexible and modular. “We don’t build rigid systems. Technology should enable, not obstruct. If a solution becomes too complex to maintain, it loses its long-term value.” Even though a local container terminal is part of a much larger global network, its decisions still matter. “The choices we make today shape the supply chain of tomorrow,” says Marieke. “We aim to stay ahead—using technology to create real value.”

For Marieke, collaboration remains the cornerstone of success. “You don’t build great technology without great collaboration. Mistakes? They’re part of the journey. If you treat them as opportunities, every problem becomes a step forward. One day, everything clicks—and you’ve become the most modern and advanced gateway in Europe. The key is to find the right partners—and Jef is certainly one of them.”

She believes true progress happens only when people embrace the technology they work with. “I’ll know we’ve succeeded when the cranes are singing on the quay and we’re whistling as we walk by.”

As always, Jef closes with a smile: “Let’s sit down again in two years and see where we are then. Until that time, we’ll keep building together—towards growth and progress.”