Client Background

• Industry: Transportation and Logistics

• Overview: Ports of Auckland Limited (POAL) is New Zealand’s largest import port, owned by Auckland Council. It manages the region’s key commercial freight and cruise ship harbour operations, including inland freight hubs, making it a vital node in the country's supply chain. 

The Challenge

Despite its critical role in national logistics, POAL had a small internal architecture team tasked with supporting a large-scale technology modernisation program, including automation of its container terminal and transitioning CIT functions to the cloud. 

Specific challenges included: 

• Fragmented, project-by-project architecture services. 

• Difficulty sourcing and retaining domain-specific architects. 

• Need for architecture continuity across a multi-year transformation program. 

• Lack of standard practices, tools, and onboarding processes for new team members. 

POAL needed a way to scale its architecture capability flexibly while maturing its architectural governance and aligning technology initiatives with its digital strategy. 

The Solution

Cyma introduced Architecture as a Service (AaaS) — a virtual, scalable architecture model that offered: 

• Flexibility & Scale: A fixed monthly commitment with rollover hours, easily scaling up or down as projects require. 

• Specialist Expertise: Access to architects in integration, data, security, infrastructure, cloud (notably Azure), and more. 

• Practice Maturity: Tools, templates, and processes to elevate architecture governance and coherence. 

• Streamlined Onboarding: Reduced internal overhead through pre-trained and context-aware consultants. 

The architecture team grew from 3 to 7 architects, seamlessly integrated across projects. Cyma ensured continuity, mitigated onboarding bottlenecks, and allowed POAL’s enterprise architect to focus on strategy, not administration. 

Measurable Results

Quantitative Results: 

• Expanded the architecture team from 3 to 7 members within 12 months. 

• Delivered Azure cloud solution designs, integration reference models, and enterprise data modelling. 

• Supported an on-prem infrastructure refresh and cloud migration programs. 

Qualitative Results: 

• Enabled an agile and collaborative architecture team with bi-weekly solution reviews. 

• Reduced project friction through fluid allocation of architects based on evolving priorities. 

• Elevated architecture maturity with reusable documentation, onboarding processes, and domain continuity. 

• Strengthened alignment with POAL’s Digital Strategy, which Cyma also helped refine and ratify. 

Cyma’s Value Proposition 

Cyma simplified POAL’s digital complexity by offering a scalable, dynamic architecture model that aligned directly with business strategy. Beyond just resourcing, Cyma elevated architecture as a function, embedding governance, enabling agility, and supporting long-term transformation through innovation and technical excellence.