After adding your cargo you will discover the power of Cargo Controller, you are now able to monitor all your cargo based on 3 main indicators. These 3 main indicators represent the 3 phases of the import process that your cargo goes through before you can have it picked up at the terminal. These 3 main indicators are also called ‘gates’ and our status messages ‘milestones’. In this article we explain the statuses, but also how you can apply them to simplify your daily work by working based on exceptions (management by exceptions).
Import phases
Each indicator monitors the status of the import phase your container is currently in. This way, either the general status or the most critical status is shown. An indicator contains a group of specific indicators for that phase:
* This indicator is only available within the Secure Chain. More information about this can be found in our Quick Start Guide, Factsheet or introduction film.
** This indicator is only available if the terminal makes this data available. Would you like to know more about terminal data within Cargo Controller? Then read more here first.
Legend of the status indicator
As you can see, the 3 indicators are based on 10 individual indicators. You can view this if you press the i icon and open the details screen:
Colors and icons
The main indicator will provide you with the overall status of the phase, or the most urgent one within that phase. Their color and icon will read as the following:
: Status confirmed, all indicators are green.
: At least one indicator is yellow, your attention may be needed.
: At least one indicator is red, attention is needed.
: Status pending, not all indicators are green, none are yellow or red. No attention needed.
: Status (yet) unknown. There is no update available, a possible update is expected lika the ETA. Waiting for update.In de onderstaande stappen gaan we in op hoe je deze statussen kan monitoren via filters e/o e-mailnotificaties aan de hand van een aantal voorbeelden.
Monitoring statuses
In our Quick Start Guide we have already mentioned the filter options within Cargo Controller, in this part we explain a number of them to use to filter out important status updates. This in combination with a number of our supporting email notifications.
Filter 1: Import manifest
Check ‘Data not available’, all B/Ls that are not known are now shown in the overview. Without a manifest, Cargo Controller cannot share any other status with you. The shipping company is responsible for submitting the import manifest. They must confirm this to the Harbor Master 4 days before ETA.
Tip 1: Always check first that there is no typo in the registered B/L number, that is our number 1 cause for questions in this situation.
Tip 2: Sometimes a B/L may have been wrongly registered on the manifest and subsequently deleted. An email notification is also available for this situation (B/L removed).
Filter 2: Discharge
Check ‘Not Discharged’ and containers have not yet been confirmed by the terminal. This can arise from various situations, such as a communication disruption between the terminal and Portbase, a cut-and-run situation by the shipping company or your organization at this terminal is not allowed to view this data (see Terminal data).
Tip: An e-mail notification is available that sends an e-mail when the ship has departed, but the discharge confirmation has not yet been received.
Filter 3: Inspection status
Check ‘Notified’, all containers that Customs has selected for inspection, ‘have fallen red’, are now shown on the screen.
Or: Check ‘Released’ to select all containers that were inspected and have now been released by Customs.
Tip: There are e-mail notifications available that send an email when the container has been notified and subsequently released.
Filter 4: Import document
Check ‘Unknown’, all containers for which no import document (MID) has yet been submitted to the terminal are now shown on the screen.
Tip: An e-mail notification is available that sends an e-mail if no MID has been submitted 6 hours after unloading the container.
Filter 5: Inland operator
Check ‘Not nominated’, all containers for which no carrier has yet been nominated (Secure Chain action) are now shown on the screen.
You can now track the status of your cargo
Based on this article, you can now easily navigate through the statuses of the cargo and you are in control of the current status. The next steps if a status deviates differ per situation. Read more here how you can set up email notifications.