ShipIntel's port information cards offer comprehensive data on maritime ports worldwide. They provide details such as the port's name, flag, official UN/LOCODE, number of vessels currently in port, recent departures, incoming vessels, and the types of vessels visiting the port. Additionally, they include available bunker grades, local time, and associated ports within a larger region.
This ShipIntel guide will explain how to a manage these port cards, showcasing the various features and functionalities available.
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Port Information Overview
ShipIntel's port information cards offer comprehensive data on maritime ports worldwide. When opening a detailed port information card in ShipIntel, you will see the following information and overview (here, using the Port of Rotterdam as en example).
Key Features of Port Information Cards
1) Viewing Port Information
The port card will display details about the port, such as the port's name, flag, UN/LOCODE, port data, number of vessels currently in port, vessels at anchorage, recent departures and incoming vessels, along with the types of vessels that visit the port (e.g., Chemical, Container, Dry Bulk, LNG, LPG, Oil Service, Car Carrier, Tanker).
The port overview also shows the port's available bunker grades, types of vessels visiting the port and related sub-ports (if relevant).
2) Advanced Actions from Port Cards
From the top-right corner of the port card, you can perform several actions:
Add Notifications: Set up alerts for specific port activities, using the Notifications in ShipIntel feature.
Create a Sea Route: Calculate and visualize routes from the port to a vessel or another port using the ShipIntel Sea Route Calculator.
Add Notes: Keep track of important information by adding notes to the port.
Add Port to List: Organize your ports by adding them to a port list.
View Port in Map: Visualize the port's location on the map for better spatial understanding, along with the vessels currently at anchorage.
Tabs in Port Information Cards
ShipIntel's port cards consist of several tabs that offer different types of information and insight. Each of the different port tabs will be explained in more details below.
Port Activity
The Port Activity tab displays information about vessels visiting the port or anchorage areas. Users can toggle between table view and charts for a comprehensive analysis.
By hovering over the main tab, you can choose between viewing all port activity, or filter to see the vessels at anchorage and incoming vessels to the port, as seen in the picture below.
Port Activity
Under Port Activity, you get an overview of vessels that have or are currently visiting the port, or visiting anchorage areas associated with the port.
Choose between table view or chart view for detailed port statistics by clicking either Table or Charts to the right.
Table view of port activity
All visits:
In table view, information on all port visits are presented. From the port table, you can see the vessel's:
Name,
Segment
Summer DWT
Arrival draft (Registered draft at the time of arrival)
Arrival condition (Accumulated time spent in anchorage areas estimated to be associated with the port)
Port duration (Accumulated time spent at berth, terminal, or close to port vicinity)
Arrival (Time of arrival including anchorage duration), and
Departure (Time of final departure from port).
Ongoing & Recent departures
By clicking on "Ongoing" or "Recent departures" to the to-right side of the table, you can filter to only see vessels with an ongoing visit either at anchorage or at port, or seeing only the vessels that departed within the last 3 days.
Clicking the drop-down button to the far right on the table, you can filter to only see vessels activity at the port by specifying a date or date range.
Statistics on port activity
To get port statistics, you can click on "Charts" to access additional data. You get statistics on:
Number of vessels in port, and type of vessel
Median time in port
Vessels at anchorage
Median time at anchor
Live AIS overview of the vessels (from the selected vessel segment) in port.
By default, the view displays statistics for all vessels. You can customize the view using the drop-down menu to filter the data by specific vessel segments.
To get more detailed statistics, you can click on the table to access additional data. This allows you to set your own date range or choose predefined data collection) periods such as:
Last 12 hours
Last day
Last week
This month
Last month
Last 3 months
Last year
This year
Custom date range from the calendar
This flexibility enables you to analyze port activity over different time frames, providing deeper insights into port operations.
Vessels at anchorage
Vessels at anchorage in port, shows a list with information and details on vessels that are currently stationary in anchorage areas estimated to be associated with this port.
Incoming vessels
The incoming vessels tab shows arrivals to the port. Listed in a table view, it provides information about vessels that have set their next destination to this port.
Port Weather
The port weather provides information about the weather and tidal water in the given port. Hover over the tab to choose between Weather or Tidal water.
Port Weather Tab
Current weather at port:
The Weather tab in ShipIntel provides information about the current weather conditions at port. The weather information is presented in a table format, showing key parameters such as:
Humidity: Displayed as a percentage (%)
Precipitation: Indicating the amount of rainfall
Pressure: Atmospheric pressure in hPa
Wind Direction: Given in degrees (e.g., 218°)
5-day weather forecast:
In addition to current conditions, the Weather tab also offers a 5-day forecast for the selected port. This forecast includes:
Daily weather predictions: Providing a broader view of upcoming weather patterns
Temperature trends: Highs and lows for the next five days
Wind predictions: Including speed and direction changes over the forecast period
Tidal Water at port:
The Tidal Water tab offers detailed information about the tidal conditions at the selected port. This tab includes:
Current Tidal Height: Displayed in meters, showing the port's current water level
5-Day Tidal Forecast: Providing predictions for tidal changes over the next five days
Port Restrictions
The Restrictions tab in ShipIntel provides detailed information about various port restrictions that apply to the port you are viewing. By hovering over the Restrictions tab, you can select from the following types of port restrictions:
Max Beam
Max LOA (Length Overall)
Max Draft
Max Summer Deadweight
Each type of restriction is displayed in a table, showing the vessels with the highest values seen per segment in the port, as seen below.
Bunker Prices
The Bunker Prices tab detailed information about the various fuel types available at the port, along with the costs and availability of different bunker fuels.
Fuel Types and Bunker Grades
The Bunker Prices tab shows detailed information about the following:
Fuel Types: Including HFO (Heavy Fuel Oil), MGO (Marine Gas Oil), VLSFO (Very Low Sulfur Fuel Oil), and other maritime fuels.
Bunker Grades: Specific grades of bunker fuel available at the port.
Each fuel type's information includes:
Price: Displayed in dollars per metric ton.
Availability: Indicates the current stock levels of each fuel type.
Price Trends and Graphs
The Bunker Prices tab also features graphs that display the price trends for each fuel type over the past seven days. These visual representations help you quickly understand how prices are changing, enabling better decision-making.
Price Trends: View historical prices to anticipate future cost fluctuations.
Toggle Options: Switch between different fuel types to see specific price trends.
By toggling between the various fuel types, you can compare the cost dynamics of different bunker fuels, ensuring you choose the most cost-effective option for your needs.
Photos and images
The Photos and Images tab in ShipIntel allows users to upload and manage visual documentation related to the port. This feature is useful for maintaining a visual record of port conditions, activities, and related details, which can be crucial for operational planning and review.
Creating and Managing Albums
To create a new photo album for the port:
1) Click on the "New Album" button: Initiate the creation of a new album.
2) Add photos: Click to upload photos or drag and drop them into the album. Photos can also be added to the album at a later time.
3) Name and save the album: Provide a name for the album and save it.
4) Add Notes: After uploading, you can add descriptive notes to each album, providing context and details about the images.
This feature allows for comprehensive documentation and easy retrieval of visual information related to the port.
Note: The albums and information you upload are private and will only be visible and accessible to you and your team.
Uploading and Managing Photos
To upload individual photos related to the port:
1) Click on the "Photos" button: This will open the photo upload interface.
2) Upload photos: You can upload photos directly from your device. These photos can be of the port, its surroundings, or any relevant activities and details.
3) Store and access: All uploaded photos are stored securely on your ShipIntel account and are only accessible to you. This ensures privacy and controlled access.
4) Add Notes: After uploading, you can add notes to each photo, providing specific details and annotations.
This functionality helps in maintaining an organized and detailed visual record, supporting various port management activities.
Contacts at Port
The Contacts tab allows you to manage and organize companies connected to a specific maritime port. This feature is designed to help you build a comprehensive Customer and Supplier Management (CSM) database for each port. All the contacts and information you upload are private and will only be visible and accessible to you and your team.
See our user guide on the Maritime Contact Book in ShipIntel.
Viewing and Adding Contacts
On the Contacts tab, you can see the existing companies you have linked to a port. You also have the option to add new contacts related to the specific port, improving your team's port management capabilities.
Steps to add a new Company to the port:
1) Click on the "Add Company" button
2. Select from Existing Contact
Clicking "Add Company" opens a new tab on the right side of the screen. This tab lists the existing contacts from your Maritime Contact Book, showing the name and company type. To select from existing companies, select the company and click on "Add"
Note: Only companies in your Maritime Contact Book that are not mapped to a vessel are listed here.
4) Create a New Company:
If you need to add a new company, click on the "Create New Company" button. You can then enter the following details:
Company Name: (e.g., Maritime Optima AS)
Company Type: (e.g., Broker, Classification Company, or Port Agent)
Phone Number: Primary and secondary contact numbers
Email: Main and secondary email addresses
Website: Company’s website
5) Complete the Information and Add to Port:
Once you have filled in the necessary information, click on "Create" and select the company to add it to the port. This step integrates the company into your port's contact database.
Documents and Drawings
The Documents and Drawings tab in ShipIntel allows you to upload and manage various documents, files, and photos, attaching them to the specific port. As an essential feature, it helps you maintain comprehensive port records and ensuring all relevant documents are easily accessible for you and your team.
Note: All documents you upload, along with their attached notes, remain private and are only visible and accessible to you and your team, ensuring data confidentiality and secure sharing within your organization.
Uploading Documents
To upload a new document:
Click on "Upload documents": This will open up the upload interface
Upload files: Click on the "+" sign or drag and drop documents into the designated area to upload them.
Managing Port-Related Documents
Once a document is uploaded, you can manage and view it through the following steps:
1) View Documents:
Click on the file name listed on the left. The selected document will be displayed on the right side of the screen.
Toggle between the various documents you have uploaded to the port to easily access and review each file.
2) Add Notes:
For team collaborations, you can add notes to any port-attached document. Click on the "Actions" button at the top-right side of the document. These notes can provide additional context and information relevant to the document.
3) Download Documents:
If you need to download a document to your local device, click on “Actions” located at the top-right side above the document you are viewing. This menu provides options to download the file directly.