HES International – Control Room Renewal for Continuous Efficiency 

HES International, one of Europe's largest and most advanced logistics service providers for dry bulk cargo, is strategically located in the port of Rotterdam. From this central European logistics hub, the company receives some of the world's largest ocean vessels. Nearly 80% of the dry bulk handled in Rotterdam is transported by rail and inland waterways to Germany and beyond. HES International primarily serves clients in the steel, silicon, and energy sectors.

At HES International, operations revolve around precision and reliability. The 24/7 control room, responsible for monitoring and managing the entire logistics process, had reached its limits. The existing system no longer met the growing demands for flexibility and efficiency, creating risks for the continuous flow of goods and the coordination within the team. HES International needed a future-proof solution that would deliver both operational and technological improvements.

The Solution: Renewing the Control Room with Barco OpSpace

To address these challenges, HES International partnered with INTER to completely renew its control room using Barco OpSpace technology. We spoke with Mark Bezemer, System Administrator at HES International, about his experience with the new setup.

"The possibilities have increased tremendously," Mark explains. "With Barco OpSpace, operators can now combine multiple sources on a single screen and arrange them as they prefer. This replaces the old setup, where physical cables had to be switched to change screen layouts. The system also allows us to display virtual sources, which was previously impossible."

In addition to the technical improvements, INTER provided valuable support during the implementation phase. A key step in the project was testing the new workstations at the INTER Experience Center. "During that session, we discovered that the system fully met our expectations. It gave us great confidence in the final implementation," Mark says.

Improved Flexibility and Team Collaboration

The renewed control room not only delivers technical advantages but also enhances operational flexibility. "What operators appreciate most is the ability to easily take over each other's work," Mark explains. "Previously, a colleague had to monitor two workstations at once if someone stepped away. Now, video feeds can simply be switched to another workstation."

A dedicated training area will soon be added to the control room. This space, also equipped with Barco OpSpace, will be used to train new employees and allow existing staff to simulate and improve processes in a realistic environment.

A Reliable Partnership

The collaboration with INTER has been described by HES International as highly positive. "INTER has extensive experience with 24/7 operational environments, and that really shows," says Mark. "Their engineers understand our processes and know exactly when to wait in order to avoid disruptions."

HES International views INTER not only as a reliable implementation partner, but also as a source of valuable insight for future optimizations. "Working with INTER gave us not only the tools we needed but also the confidence that we are ready for the future."