Contargo makes logistics code available to everyone

Contargo is making internally developed code available to the logistics industry free of charge. The so-called containerLib is now available as an open-source solution in the Open Logistics Foundation Repository and helps companies process container numbers and truck registration plates in a standardized way. Behind this lies more than just technology; it is a commitment to the collaborative digitalisation of logistics.

In the day-to-day operations of container logistics, container numbers and registration plates are processed millions of times. Until now, each company has addressed this task independently, with its own code, its own validation rules and its own maintenance effort. Contargo, one of the leading companies in container hinterland logistics, has drawn a conclusion from this: the internally developed Java library containerLib, which validates container numbers in accordance with ISO 6346 and checks truck registration plates according to country-specific requirements, is now freely available as an open-source solution in the Open Logistics Foundation repository. Companies that integrate it into their software projects save development time, reduce sources of error, and benefit from a solution that is continuously enhanced by the community.

For Contargo, the decision to publish the software was a logical step: if you develop something useful that is relevant far beyond your own company, you should not keep it to yourself. “Functions such as the validation of container numbers are not a competitive advantage; they are a commodity”, explains Gerd Schmidt, Head of IT at Contargo. “For us, publishing our code is not a loss, but a gain”.

Sharing openly, growing together

The fact that Contargo is not simply using the code internally, but is making it available to the entire industry through the Open Logistics Foundation, is also a deliberate decision. As a neutral, non-profit foundation, it ensures that the solution remains permanently and freely accessible, continues to be developed by an active community, and can be used by companies of all sizes. For Contargo, this means that its own code benefits from external perspectives, becoming better, more robust, and easier to maintain in the long term. “The containerLib is a prime example of what we want to achieve with the Open Logistics Foundation”, adds Andreas Nettsträter, CEO of the Open Logistics Foundation. “Our goal is to make solutions that the industry needs accessible through collaboration”.

For the Open Logistics Foundation, the publication of containerLib is more than just a standalone project. It represents a strategy: the Foundation aims to establish itself as the central hub for precisely such components, a place where member companies can make internally developed solutions available to the entire industry. Contargo is leading the way in this regard. In the future, more companies are expected to follow suit and contribute their own open-source components, working together to create a reliable digital foundation for the entire logistics sector.

“Contargo is showing how companies can actively contribute to the digitalisation of the entire industry”, said Nettsträter. “Only by working together can we create a strong and reliable foundation for the digitalization of logistics”.