Work is ongoing on a $4 million project to enhance N.C. Ports' IT infrastructure, officials said this week.

The work is part of a partnership between the ports authority and Charlotte-based Versiant, said N.C. Ports spokeswoman Bethany Welch in an email. The project began in March, she said, adding that to date, N.C. Ports has spent about $190,000 on the work.

The company supported N.C. Ports’ upgrade of all its switching gear and firewalls, the network equipment used to manage its internal data traffic, she said. 

“This project allows for segmentation of the network, making it more resilient and secure,” she said.

The IT network project will also include fiber installation, wireless infrastructure and process automation through the use of mobile applications, all communicating through N.C. Ports’ terminal operating system, or TOS, Welch said.

A TOS is an electronic management system for port activities, including record keeping and monitoring of cargo, equipment and products.

The network project with Versiant is part of the port authority's overall TOS project, which is estimated at $15 million, Welch said.

Earlier this spring, N.C. Ports selected the Navis N4 TOS to power its Wilmington and Morehead City port facilities and its inland terminal in Charlotte. The TOS project is part of a "transformational terminal enhancement project to support future growth and automation plans" at N.C. Ports facilities, stated a news release.

That project is also aligned with N.C. Ports' efforts to redesign the Port of Wilmington's truck gate complex and expand its container yard. All the work is part of the ports' more than $221 million capital improvement plan.

“We are pleased to have successfully completed the first phase of an infrastructure refresh that will enhance the overall connectivity and operations at North Carolina Ports," Versiant COO Edward Reade said in the release about the IT upgrade. "We look forward to continuing our partnership with NC Ports and supporting the technology planning and implementation as they continue to expand and modernize their terminal operations.”

Versiant is an international provider of managed, professional, software and support services for enterprise IT infrastructure, according to a news release.

"The State of North Carolina has allocated over $200M in enhancing the supply chain and the Port of Wilmington is a critical component in that supply chain," N.C. Ports CIO Bill Corcoran said in the release. "It is imperative we partner with a company that has industry domain expertise and that can help us execute our long-term goals."