Shipping portals are websites which allow shippers, consignees and forwarders access to multiple carriers through a single site. Portals provide bookings, track and trace, and documentation, and allow users to communicate with their carriers. In many respects, a shipping portal is to the maritime industry what a global distribution system (GDS) is to the airline industry.

History

edit

Shipping portals first emerged in 2000-2001 when CargoSmart, GT Nexus and INTTRA Inc. all launched their trial phases.[citation needed]

Portal members

edit

Membership across the three main shipping portals comprises 30 carriers of varying sizes, but the majority are amongst the world's largest, so most of the industry's TEU capacity is represented.[1]

Carrier[2] TEU CargoSmart GT Nexus INTTRA Inc.
Maersk / Safmarine / MCC Transport Singapore 2,005,000  Y  Y  Y
Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) 1,521,000  Y  Y  Y
CMA CGM / Australian National Line (ANL) 976,000  Y  Y  Y
China Ocean Shipping Company (COSCO) 497,000  Y  Y  Y
Hapag-Lloyd 488,000  Y  Y  Y
American President Lines (APL) 470,000  Y  Y
China Shipping Container Lines (CSCL) 455,000  Y  Y  Y
Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) 420,000  Y  Y  Y
Hanjin / Senator Line 382,000  Y  Y  Y
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) 380,000  Y  Y  Y
Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) 356,000  Y  Y
Hamburg Süd / Aliança 318,000  Y  Y
K Line 316,000  Y  Y  Y
Yang Ming Line 311,000  Y  Y  Y
CSAV / Libra 299,000  Y  Y
Zim Line 277,000  Y  Y  Y
Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) 265,000  Y  Y  Y
United Arab Shipping Company (UASC) 150,000  Y  Y
Wan Hai Lines 123,000  Y  Y  Y
Emirates Shipping Line 25,000  Y
Crowley Maritime 19,000  Y
Deutsche Afrika-Linien (DAL) 11,000  Y

Sailing schedule search engines

edit

No portals can access all shipping lines. With around 250 container shipping lines world-wide, many carriers are left out. Sailing schedule search engines have emerged to allow users to find an appropriate service.[citation needed]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "COSCON signs up for INTTRA eVGM solution". Seatrade Maritime News.
  2. ^ AXS Marine Top 100 Container Lines