CERTUS Automation

What CERTUS Automation does

CERTUS Automation (legally CERTUS Port Automation B.V.) is a Netherlands-based technology company specializing in computer-vision and OCR automation solutions for container terminals, intermodal facilities, warehouses, manufacturing sites, and truck parking operations. Its portfolio covers every container handling touchpoint — AutoGate (gate automation), STS Crane OCR, Mobile Harbor Crane OCR, Yard Crane OCR, Stacker OCR, and Rail OCR — built on a combination of industrial-grade 4K cameras, self-cleaning optics, and a proprietary PASS middleware that validates OCR output against the customer's Terminal Operating System (Navis N4, TBA, and others) and routes exceptions to a centralized desk. CERTUS reports recognition rates above 98% in production environments with throughputs of 1,400+ container moves per shift, and claims a global installed base spanning 38 countries that identifies more than 100,000 containers per day.\n\nThe company sells through a mix of direct enterprise field sales, a three-tier global partner program (Business Development, System Integrator/Technology, and Installation & Support), and RFP-driven engagements. Revenue is generated across four streams: (1) hardware sales (industrial cameras, kiosks, portals, gate control equipment), (2) software licenses and subscription-based middleware (PASS, Analytics, Health Monitoring), (3) managed Maintenance & Support services delivered via 5-year SLAs with on-site spare parts kits, and (4) implementation/professional services for installation, commissioning, and training. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with a 5-year warranty standard on integrated solutions.\n\nCERTUS was founded in 1999 in Sliedrecht, Netherlands, has 51-100 employees, and has been 85%-owned by Swedish infrastructure technology group Sdiptech AB since October 13, 2021. The customer base consists primarily of tier-1 port and logistics operators (APM Terminals, Maher, DP World, Evergreen Marine, Cosco Shipping, DSV, NewCold, Lineage) as well as selected manufacturing and cold-storage customers, and the company holds ISO 27001, ISO 9001, HSE, GDPR, NIS, and TAPA FSR/TSR/PSR certifications to meet the security and compliance requirements of its enterprise customer base.

Name

CERTUS Automation

Legal name

CERTUS Port Automation B.V.

Website

https://certusautomation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

CERTUS Automation is a Netherlands-based technology company providing computer-vision and OCR automation solutions — including gate, crane, yard, stacker, and rail systems — for container terminals, intermodal facilities, warehouses, and manufacturing sites, serving tier-1 port and logistics operators globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Port and Terminal Automation Software

NAICS

Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), Security Systems Services (except Locksmiths) (561621), Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883)

SIC

Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600), Computer Terminals (3575)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Documentation & Trade Facilitation (eBL, eDO, eManifest, eGate Pass) (TLAHAOAF)

Keywords

• OCR automation systems
• Port terminal automation
• Container identification solutions
• Gate automation software
• Logistics computer vision

Headquarters

HQ city

Sliedrecht

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Automation Hardware Sales: Sale of industrial automation hardware including OCR cameras, kiosks, portals, gate control equipment, and associated infrastructure. Hardware is sold as part of integrated automation solutions with 5-year SLA warranty.
2. Software Licenses and Middleware (PASS): PASS middleware software for terminal integration and exception handling. Software licenses for OCR engines, analytics, and monitoring tools embedded within the automation solutions.
3. Maintenance & Support Services (M&S): Service Level Agreements (SLAs) providing ongoing maintenance, support, spare parts kits, proactive monitoring, and software updates. Tailored programs designed to keep automated systems performing optimally post go-live.
4. Implementation and Professional Services: Installation, commissioning, training, and project management services for deploying automation solutions. Includes on-site installation support and remote assistance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CERTUS Automation provides OCR-based automation solutions for container terminals, ports, and logistics facilities. Its portfolio spans AutoGate, Crane OCR systems (STS, Mobile Harbor, Yard), Rail OCR, Stacker OCR, and the PASS middleware that integrates with terminal operating systems to automate container, vehicle, and driver identification across gate, waterside, yard, and rail operations.

Product overview

CERTUS Automation offers a unified portfolio of OCR-based automation solutions for ports, terminals, and logistics facilities, comprising six core OCR products (AutoGate, STS Crane OCR, Mobile Harbor Crane OCR, Yard Crane OCR, Rail OCR, Stacker OCR), a set of software add-on modules (PASS NXT gate management, Vehicle Booking System, Gate Operating System, Location Management System, CCTV Solutions), and a suite of support services (CERTUS Analytics, OCR Health Monitoring, Proactive Monitoring, Service Desk Customer Portal, Spare Parts Kit, Maintenance & Support SLA). The PASS middleware acts as the central orchestration layer across all products, validating OCR data against TOS and enabling exception-based operations from a centralized desk. Solutions are deployed across all container handling touchpoints — Gate, Waterside (STS cranes, mobile harbor cranes), Yard (yard cranes, stackers), and Rail — for end-to-end digital capture of every cargo transaction.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AutoGate

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 60% faster truck turnaround times with automated gate processing
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration15 records

AI capability10 records

Feature10 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Sdiptech AB: Sdiptech AB is CERTUS's 85% parent company and a diversified infrastructure technology group; it is comparable as a strategic/portfolio context rather than a direct competitor, owning multiple infrastructure automation subsidiaries.
• Advantech: Advantech provides industrial computing, edge AI, and IoT hardware that underpins many port automation deployments including OCR portals and gate systems — an enabling/adjacent technology supplier to CERTUS-style solutions.
• Nuctech: Nuctech specializes in security inspection and container scanning systems for ports and borders, an adjacent capability to CERTUS's automated identification and access control solutions for terminal gates.

Broad incumbents

• Siemens: Siemens provides industrial automation, digitalization, and port logistics solutions that intersect with CERTUS's OCR and middleware offerings, typically as part of broader enterprise digitalization portfolios for industrial and logistics customers.
• ABB: ABB is a broad industrial automation incumbent with port and harbor automation offerings that overlap with CERTUS's crane and gate solutions, often delivered as part of larger electrification and automation portfolios.

Emerging players

• Inform Software: Inform provides terminal operating systems, slot booking, and yard optimization software for ports and terminals. It is comparable to CERTUS as a software/data layer for terminals, though it competes more in the TOS than OCR capture layer.
• TMEIC: Toshiba Mitsubishi-Electric Industrial Systems (TMEIC) supplies industrial automation, drives, and crane automation systems for ports and terminals, providing overlapping capability with CERTUS in crane-side automation.

Direct peers

• Konecranes: Konecranes supplies port automation including container handling cranes with integrated OCR and digital solutions, competing directly with CERTUS in STS, yard, and rail OCR for terminal operators worldwide.
• VMT (Vision Machine Technic Bildverarbeitungssysteme): VMT is a direct competitor specializing in machine vision and OCR systems for ports, terminals, and intralogistics, offering gate, crane, and yard OCR that closely parallels CERTUS's product portfolio.
• Kalmar (Cargotec): Kalmar, part of Cargotec (now MacGregor / Hiab), is a direct competitor offering container terminal automation including gate OCR, crane automation, and yard management solutions, serving the same global terminal operator customer base as CERTUS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/certus-automation

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CERTUS Automation