• Real-time data exchange
  • No more manual actions required
  • Significant time savings
  • More time and attention for the customer
  • 24/7 automatic updates
  • Work of planners becomes more enjoyable and interesting
  • Ready for integrated planning

Yellowstar has connected neska Container Line to the service Hinterland Container Notification (HCN) Barge from Portbase via APIs. The planners of the barge operator are now able to pre-notify at the large container terminals in the port of Rotterdam with far greater speed and efficiency. Manual actions via web screens are no longer required. All updates from the terminals are automatically received as well.

Day in, day out, the inland vessels of neska Container Line call at the container terminals in the port of Rotterdam. Pre-notification through the port-wide Port Community System of Portbase is mandatory for all these calls as well as for the accompanying containers that need to be unloaded and loaded. In early 2020, Portbase launched a new, future-oriented service for this: HCN Barge. This service uses APIs instead of the Edifact format for the exchange of data. As soon as the API specifications became available, Yellowstar realised the required connections for neska Container Line.

No more manual actions

The API connections offer several benefits to neska Container Line. Unlike before, pre-notification at the large container terminals at the Maasvlakte no longer requires manual operations via the web screens of Portbase. neska Container Line can now also pre-notify the rotations and ship calls directly from its own system. This saves time and prevents mistakes. Hans Buytendijk, Managing Director of neska Container Line: “Recently, our IT systems were made suitable for the automatic processing of all the data that we receive from others and send out ourselves. HCN Barge API plays an important role in this. Therefore, it is imperative to be properly connected.”

Integrated in neska system

Yellowstar has fully integrated HCN Barge API in the IT system of neska Container Line. As soon as the planners of neska Container Line draw up the planning for the inland vessels in their own system, the required data about voyage, calls and containers is also sent to Portbase in real time. neska Container Line also automatically receives updates from the terminals 24/7. The planners do not have to give this a single thought. Updates no longer have to be requested separately.

Lightning-fast data exchange

Buytendijk: “Via HCN Barge API, we receive much better information at much faster speeds; next, we can automatically process this. Ultimately, it takes our company to a higher level. Our staff no longer need to spend their time on repetitive manual activities. That makes their jobs more attractive. They can now fully focus their attention on the customer and on coming up with creative solutions to relevant transport questions.”

Ready for connection to integrated planning

Furthermore, neska Container Line’s API link-up with HCN Barge is ready for connection to Nextlogic's upcoming integrated planning of container barges in the port of Rotterdam. By participating, the vessels of neska Container Line will be planned more efficiently. This prevents waiting times and speeds up turnaround times in the port, enabling neska Container Line to more efficiently use its ship capacity.

Portbase and Nextlogic are currently testing the new service provision for the integrated planning. As soon as this is greenlighted, Yellowstar will connect neska Container Line via HCN Barge API. Buytendijk: “Yellowstar has been working for us for some time already. I find our cooperation to be very positive. The interaction was open and transparent in this project as well.”