The woman in charge of processes

Since October 2022, Stefanie Lange has been working as part of a small German-Italian team on introducing a special system. It is based on cameras with optical character recognition (OCR) which can recognise images and characters. OCR ensures, for example, the automated identification of previously registered trucks and their cargo at the terminal’s gates using cameras.

A connected IT system processes the information so that the trucks and their containers can be efficiently directed through the terminal. That is already the case at some HHLA terminals and will soon also be in Trieste.

There, Stefanie Lange keeps an overview and holds everything in place. Has our technical department forwarded all the essential information to our service providers? Are deadlines being observed, have permits been requested and received, is the project within budget? Are the OCR interfaces set up in the IT system so that the concrete on-site challenges can be met?

This is right where Stefanie Lange’s strengths lie. She thinks in processes, can understand logistical contexts, coordinate individual steps and ensure their implementation. Organising teams and delegating tasks also comes naturally to her. Therefore, after completing her A levels, she also studied logistics management because it puts a strong focus on these aspects.

As a logistics expert, she looks forward to significantly accelerating processes at the gates of the Italian port using OCR systems. The expected results are higher truck volumes, fewer traffic jams and higher overall productivity. The system will also greatly simplify the work of the employees at the entrance of the terminal. For example, paper documents will hardly ever be checked.

Lange, the open-minded, friendly and confident project coordinator, really enjoys working in an international team and being in contact with the approximately 140 employees at the terminal in Trieste. It is a familiar atmosphere and she already knows many by name. “The colleagues are very nice, helpful and committed,” reports Stefanie Lange. She is learning Italian using an app, but her interactions with locals are usually in English.

Stefanie Lange has settled in Trieste. As a North German, she enjoys the breeze that often sweeps over the port city. After work, she often goes on a walk, a run or for dinner with people from the HHLA team on the beach promenade. Therefore, “la dolce vita” is also part of her experience working abroad.

Published 7.11.2023