Oxagon - The Port of Neom

The Challenge

As was outlined in last year’s Survive & Thrive report, Tyde Digital’s main success in 2024 was the securing of its first major project for a government-backed developer in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), doing so in the face of stiff competition from globally renowned firms.

The client, Port of NEOM, tasked Tyde Digital with leading the successful implementation of two new Terminal Operating Systems (TOS) – one for its General Cargo Terminal, and another for its Container Terminal.

It was a defining moment for the startup. However, in the past year, it has been faced with the challenge of proving it could deliver at this level.

This was not an easy task. Indeed, the client had been open about the fact that it had been suffering with consultancy fatigue. For Tyde Digital, being capable wouldn’t be enough – it would also need to quickly and tangibly show that its approach was different, effective and results-focused. Failure to do so would risk not only jeopardising the project but likely close the door on future opportunities in the region.

Our Approach

Tyde Digital became wholly focused on getting this project right. , pausing its business development efforts in the process. It was all in on the NEOM port, recognising the significance of the opportunity.

With a leadership team that had previously been sat on the other side of the table many times, the firm understood exactly what its client would expectneeded, and what would leave them underwhelmed. It recognised the stigma attached to consultancies, setting out from day one to differentiate itself from these less than favourable labels.

The firm’s fixed fee model helped with this, ensuring that its own success was aligned with that of its clients. However, it was the firm’s overall approach that really paid dividends.

Before anything else, the company laid out the scope of work in full, building a tangible set of deliverables in the form of a Project Charter that it would take accountability for. From here, it then led orientation and alignment sessions between the Port of NEOMPort and the terminal operating system software providers. Tyde’s “driven by data” core value ensures comprehension first before action and that critical steps are not skipped just because everything seems urgent.

With goals aligneds, and timelines, roles and deliverables clarified, Tyde Digital moved onto execution., in which several key deliverables were achieved. First, it helped to translate and operationalise tariff lists static PDF format into dynamic process flows across all cargo types. This ensured every billing event was explicitly defined and created within the TOS, eliminating blind spots.

Through detailed AS-IS mapping, the company also documented current operational workflows, highlighting manual and digital data capture methods, inefficiencies and opportunities, current and integration gaps and existing software limitations. This mapping was overlaid with revenue billing events from the tariff list, creating a blueprint to guide future technology decisions with an eye on value generation.

Findings from the operational mapping were then used to inform gap analysis between the TOS and actual business needs. HereIf applicable, Tyde Digital advised on any required system customisations and process adjustments. End-to-end testing was then executed to validate the TOS, checking that its implementation would be aligned practically enhancewith port operations.

In parallel, the firm also delivered a full-scale management reporting solution for the Port, with emphasis on financial analysis and KPI trends, granular P&L details, operational performance measures and long-term forecasting. The result was the provision of real-time custom Power BI dashboards, with Microsoft Power BI being the most effective tool utilized.