Intelligent CIO Middle East Issue 104 | Page 65

CASE STUDY that required collaboration between various functions within the company .
For the IT department , maintaining and integrating these disparate systems required more resources . The limitations of the legacy systems also raised concerns regarding scalability , security , and the ability to incorporate innovative solutions . ensuring the segregation of duties . This included the help desk and infrastructure as one team and applications as a separate team .
Today IFS ERP is the mission critical solution and hosted on the main server . The other business applications are hosted on different servers and feed the main server .
“ You want to ensure that you have everything with the click of a button . You want to see everything within a dashboard and you want to see systems are reading with each other ,” says Ahmed Al Hosni , VP Finance and Technology , SOHAR Port and Freezone .
The main challenge for SOHAR Port was to integrate all the stand alone systems and make them scalable for future growth .
“ Because we are not a small organisation , we are also looking for growth . The expansion that we are planning for future is two times of the size that we are in today ,” adds Al Hosni .
The implementation of IFS ERP has transformed SOHAR Port ' s IT architecture into a unified , centralised

SOHAR PORT IS OMAN ’ S

LARGEST PORT AND INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX , HANDLING ALMOST 60

MILLION TONS OF CARGO .

SOHAR Port also provides marine services for vessel calls and this is a source of revenue . Previously the invoicing was done manually and needed to be completed soon after the vessel had sailed .
For digital transformation of the Port , it starts by having an integrated software system that brings together everything .
Business expectations from ERP
The expected deliverables out of the ERP implementation project include :
• A fully unified ERP system that consolidate the existing systems into single platform .
• Streamline and standardise business processes .
• Enhance features and capabilities , such as advanced reporting and dashboard .
• Successful data migration from legacy systems .
• Thorough system testing and validation .
• Comprehensive user training and documentation .
• Dedicated support during go-live and postimplementation phases .
• Defined performance metrics and benefits realisation plan
• Comprehensive project documentation for knowledge transfer and future reference
IT and application architecture
When SOHAR Port implemented solutions from IFS , the IT team was restructured into two separate teams platform . It integrates business processes , eliminates data silos , and enables real-time visibility . The scalable and flexible architecture facilitates integration with critical systems and supports advanced technologies like AI .
Robust security measures and a cloud-based infrastructure ensure data protection and efficiency . IFS ERP lays the foundation for digital transformation , positioning SOHAR Port to leverage emerging technologies for operational excellence and competitive advantage .
Benefits for business and IT users
The implementation of IFS ERP has brought significant benefits to both business and IT users .
For the business , IFS ERP has enhanced crossfunctional collaboration , digitalised , automated and streamlined processes , and provided real-time access to accurate data . The user interface and standardised workflows have increased productivity , while the improved reporting and analytics capabilities have enabled data-driven decision-making . This has empowered our teams to optimise operations , increase productivity and efficiency and drive business growth .
On the IT side , IFS ERP has simplified system maintenance by eliminating the need for complex integrations and data synchronisation . The scalable and flexible platform allows SOHAR Port to adapt to
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