Project leaders
The project is driven by Portchain, a Danish company specialised in digital solutions for the planning and coordination of maritime and port operations.
Project description
Portchain Connect is an innovative cloud-based digital platform that connects shipping lines and container terminals with the aim of facilitating vessel call coordination and improving berth planning.
Traditionally, communication between shipping lines and terminals has been based on manual processes such as emails, spreadsheets and shared documents, which can make it difficult to update information when changes occur in vessel schedules. In this context, the Portchain Connect platform creates a shared digital network where different stakeholders can exchange updated operational information.
The platform enables the sharing and coordination of data related to estimated vessel arrival and departure times (ETA/ETD), updates on schedules and planned movements, as well as faster adjustments when changes occur in operational plans.
The main innovation of Portchain Connect lies in the creation of a shared digital network between terminals, shipping lines and ports, enabling a shift from fragmented coordination based on manual communication towards a more collaborative model based on updated data.
The platform includes the participation of different shipping lines and container terminals worldwide that use this platform to improve vessel call planning and coordination. Terminals using this tool include Westport Moss (Norway), CICE Veracruz (Mexico), Klaipeda Container Terminal (Lithuania) and Pusan Newport Company (South Korea).
This interoperability also provides greater visibility into operations and enables the involved stakeholders to coordinate more efficiently. This improvement in coordination contributes to reducing vessel waiting times and decreasing consumption and emissions associated with waiting periods or poorly optimised navigation.
This innovation case is another example, among those already incorporated into the SOM-INN PORT Observatory, of how digital platforms are becoming a fundamental tool to move towards more connected, coordinated and data-driven port management.
Project objectives
The main objective of Portchain Connect is to improve coordination between shipping lines and container terminals through a shared digital platform that enables more efficient management of operational information related to vessel calls.
The initiative aims to facilitate better vessel call planning, increase visibility among the different stakeholders involved, advance towards more efficient and intelligent maritime operations through real-time data exchange, and reduce consumption and emissions associated with waiting times or poorly optimised navigation.
Publication date
5 August 2026