PORT SIGNS PARTNERSHIP FOR PROVISION OF FISH MARKET E-AUCTION

After an extensive and collaborative process, PPA has decided to adopt Aucxis' cloud-based platform KOSMOS to replace the traditional shout auction.

Aucxis offers turnkey e-trade solutions to auctions worldwide with more than 150 e-auctions currently in use selling fish, flowers, fruit and vegetables, coffee, wool, livestock and machinery.

The business, based in Belgium, has a long history of e-auctions spanning back to the mid 1980s and already has solutions and customers in Peterhead and the wider North-East of Scotland.

This contract award marks the next step in the project to replace the traditional shout auction process.

Since the announcement in December of the PPA Board’s decision to proceed with e-auction, the project team have wasted no time and have held a number of stakeholder meetings to work through key aspects that will enable a successful transition.

Graeme Reid, PPA Chief Executive Officer, stated: “We are delighted to have a formal agreement in place with Aucxis now. The team at Aucxis have been a pleasure to work with and their in-depth knowledge of e-trade solutions has proved invaluable in our process to date.

“We are continuing to work through the wide ranging subjects that combined will make Peterhead fish market the leading e-auction market in Europe and enable future stability and growth.

“This e-auction is the culmination of more than £70 million worth of investment in Port facilities in the last 10 years, including the new market itself, that will further reinforce and future-proof our position as the leading fish port in Europe.”

KOSMOS is hosted in the cloud via Microsoft Azure, and offers a stable and scalable solution for both local and remote buyers.

It has a user-friendly interface and advanced features such as dynamic clock auctions, real-time bidding, and comprehensive reporting tools, meaning buyers and sellers can participate more efficiently.

The first phase of implementation will focus on analysing the current processes, followed by the configuration and integration of KOSMOS. Next, the system will undergo multiple test phases in close collaboration with PPA and its stakeholders.

To support this transition, Aucxis will provide specialised hardware, including industrial tablets, mobile input and printing solutions, label printers, and auctioneer headsets.

This equipment seamlessly integrates with the KOSMOS platform, optimising auction operations.

Steff Lyssens, Aucxis account manager, said: “With this digital transformation, PPA is taking a significant step in the modernisation of fish auctions. KOSMOS offers a future-proof solution that enhances efficiency and usability, ensuring a smooth and reliable auction environment for all participants.

“Aucxis extends its gratitude to Peterhead Port Authority for their trust and looks forward to shaping this digital evolution together.”