Cargo Controller

New Features

• For organizations with an API system link-up: E-mail notifications concerning errors on the API can now be configures to be sent to any e-mail address, Instructions can be found here.
• From now on it is possible to activate an e-mail notification when the discharge terminal is updated on your tracked B/L. Instructions can be found here.
• From now on it is possible to activate an e-mail notification for B/L’s that are deleted from manifests. In the past this was only shown in the webscreens and via API-updates.  B/L status updates and DIN/DEN reports were lost. If activated we will inform you which B/L is deleted and what actions you may undertake.
• If the deleted B/L becomes available again on another manifest, we will automatically update your tracked B/L again. Please note that the DIN or DEN report still need to be reapplied manually.

Improvements

• We have decreased our traffic output towards your Webhook URL, from now on we will only push an update if data has been changed.
• Due to a change in design the Webhook URL concerning the CC API has been technically moved. The webhook was only visible and editable for the main user (hoofdgebruiker), until now:  Each user with ‘API-user’ rights in PCS can now add and change the Webhook URL, this means your IT department and/or supplier can now support this with their own personal account.
  • Note: Only one Webhook URL can be registered per organization. If a second API-user updates a the Webhook URL, this will only update the previous registered Webhook URL.

In some situations, the discharge terminal can be changed. In the past you needed to monitor your tracked B/L's manually on these changes, there is now a e-mail notification in place to alert you immediately:

Set notification
You can set up email notifications for major status changes. This way you stay simple or informed if the status of your tracked load changes.

1. Open the user preferences (the round button with your initials at the top right of the main screen).
2. Choose 'Notification settings'
3. Via the slider you can switch one (or both) e-mail notification on or off. Email notifications are sent to the email address of your PCS account.

When you integrate the Cargo Controller with our API-linkup, the webhook URL can be configured in Cargo Controller. The webhook URL is the 'mailbox' of your software that receives all updates from Cargo Controller.

Your software supplier will provide an URL.

The person within your organisation that is pointed 'head user of the Port Community System' is able to store that URL in the settings of Cargo Controller.

Step 1) Open the Cargo Controller notification settings

Step 2a) Set up the webhook URL Enter the URL here and choose 'save'. Cargo Controller immediately checks whether the URL can be reached. If Cargo Controller can reach the URL, the URL will be saved. If this does not work, you will receive an error message. In that case, check with your software vendor that the URL is correct. NB! Only one URL can be registered per organization.

Step 2b) Set up error email notification for the webhook URL Under the URL, you can register an email address (or several) should there be a failure to get the API updates on your URL. This allows you to directly assign these notifications to your internal IT specialist and/or software supplier.

Labels allow you to categorize your cargo to improve collaboration within your organization. Categorize your cargo based on customers, departments or the type of cargo, for example

• Customer A / Customer B
• Customs department / expedition department
• Fresh / Veterinary / High Priority

By adding labels you can easily filter out the cargo that needs your attention. You can add multiple labels to one shipment, and you can filter on labels using the filter options.

You can create your own label categories, and simply add them in the overview screen, or when tracking new cargo.

Watch the instruction video "Instructional video – Adding labels to your tracked cargo" at the top of this page.

No. Cargo Controller works on the basis of B/Ls. When entering a combination of a B/L and one equipment number, Cargo Controller automatically retrieves the entire B/L with all the equipments listed on it. It is therefore not necessary to enter each individual equipment on the B/L.

Cargo Controller is available as an API for direct connection to your in-house system.

Please contact our sales department if you would like to use the API. They will help you to connect it to our system.

For the specifications of our API, please visit our developer portal.

For the moment, the system link for Cargo Information also works for linking cargo in Cargo Controller. This does not require any action on your part.

Until 31 March 2022, you can continue to use your existing EDI link in combination with Cargo Controller without any changes. As of 1 April 2022, Portbase will stop supporting the EDI link. From then on, Cargo Controller will only be available via the web or the new API link. Development of the EDI link is being discontinued. New features will only be developed in the new API. We recommend that you switch to the new API link as soon as possible.

Yes. If you use the system link, you also have access to the web screens at all times.

If you link a B/L via the system link, it will automatically also be visible in the web screens. It also works the other way around; if you link a B/L in the web screens, you will also receive the updates in your in-house system via the API.

With Cargo Controller you can make the transition from cargo information to cargo management. The service offers full tracking & tracing of ships expected in the port and of your cargo. Furthermore, you can also manage all follow-up actions in the same screen. Cargo Controller is a further development of our service Cargo Information. Read here how the service Cargo Controller can benefit you.

In some situations, B/Ls are removed from a manifest. If your tracked B/L is deleted, all updates in Cargo Controller will be deleted, via API you will also see a 'Deleted' status update. To be sure of the status of your B/L, you can activate an e-mail notification so that you will immediately receive an e-mail if your B/L has been deleted. In this e-mail you can see which actions can be taken.

Set notification
You can set up email notifications for major status changes. This way you stay simple or informed if the status of your tracked load changes.

1. Open the user preferences (the round button with your initials at the top right of the main screen).
2. Choose 'Notification settings'
3. Via the slider you can switch an e-mail notification on or off. Email notifications are sent to the email address of your PCS account.

B/L available again
If your deleted B/L becomes available again on another manifest, we will automatically link it again for you. However, if an MID or Domproc was submitted on this B/L, it will have to be re-entered manually.

Was there already a domproc notification on this B/L?
If a B/L is removed from a manifest, the domproc notification is automatically removed by Customs. You will receive a default error code 6236_2738. If the B/L becomes available again, you must submit a domestic process report yourself.

Was a document pre-notified at the terminal on this B/L?
Check whether the documents for the correct terminal have been pre-notified. Has the unloading terminal been changed? Then make sure that you pre-register the documents for the correct terminal.

If you add a B/L with an equipment (and reference), after adding it you can see in the screen whether the cargo is being tracked successfully.  If there are no anomalies, you will be able to find the B/L in the B/L cargo overview.

It is also possible that the B/L will be placed in the 'Not yet known’ overview. This is usually because the shipping company has not yet submitted the B/L to Portbase. Registration by the shipping company often takes place one week before arrival but it can be as late as 72 hours before arrival.

If your cargo is still listed as 'Not yet known’ after that point, first check that the data have been entered correctly. If the data are correct, please contact the shipping company. It is possible that the B/L number has been changed, or that the shipping company has not yet submitted the B/L to Portbase.

• Coverage for vessel ATA and ATD for vessels arriving in Vlissingen and Terneuzen:

In collaboration with North Sea Port, Portbase establisched a connection with the Enigma+ platform. As a result, the  Actual Time of Arrival (ATA) and Actual Time of DeparturATD updates for vessels arriving in Vlissingen or Terneuzen, (at terminals Kloosterboer, ZZC and Verbrugge) can now be tracked in Cargo Controller.

• Cut and run renamed to 'discharge not confirmed' :

The status cut and run is normally shown when a discharge confirmation is not received and the vessel has already departed from the terminal. In reality in many situations the equipment has been discharged, but merely has not been confirmed yet through a confirmation message. The cut and run status is therefore often misleading. As of now the status ‘cut and run’ is renamed to ‘discharge not confirmed’, which better reflects the actual status.

Good news! As of today we introduce a major improvement to the vessels estimated time of arrival in Cargo Controller. Where we used to show only the ETA for port entry, we now automatically update the vessel ETA with arrival at the first berth (as soon as known). This ETA will be much closer to the actual time of arrival of the vessel.

Find out below where you can see the vessel ETA.

The improved ETA is also updated in the Cargo Controller API. Find the most recent specs at developer.portbase.com.

Improvements

• The vessel overview now orders the upcoming vessels better.
• When tracking new vessels, only upcoming sailings will be shown, ordered on ETA. Past sailings are no longer shown on top.
• Terminal name for APM terminals Rotterdam (APMTR) has been renamed to Hutchison Ports Delta II (HPDII), as the terminal is part of the Hutchison group since june 1.

New Features

• Label functionality: add labels to your B/Ls to easily categorize. Read more or watch the instructional video
• New filter option: filters for a specific time frame are now available
• Applied filters are now stored after closing Cargo Controller. After re-opening, your previously applied filters are still active.
• Improved coverage of customs inspections; In case customs manually selects shipments for inspection, those inspections are now shown as well in Cargo Controller. Previously only selections based on automated customs risk assessment were shown.

Improvements

• When adding an import document directly from within cargo controller, the terminal name is already prefilled.
• Improved visualization of applied filters
• Improved linking of import documents to a B/L (sometimes import document was not shown, while it was registered in notification import documentation)
• PDF-download of a B/L: improved the listing of weight per goods-item and weight of entire B/L
• Elaborated API specifications on developer.portbase.com
• Copy-pasting improved when pasting values with dashes

Read how to set up e-mail notifications in our instruction manual.

In case you have e-mail notifications configured in Cargo Information, please reconfigure the notifications in Cargo Controller.

The (old) notification settings in cargo information can then be deleted.

The following overview shows you all the functionalities and data sources for Cargo Controller and Cargo Tracker.

The cargo data for virtually all shipping companies calling at Dutch ports is available.

However, shipping companies do have the option of not making the cargo data available to view, either in whole or in part. If you are unable to track the data of a shipping company and feel you should be able to, please contact our service desk.

An overview of our affiliated terminals can be found here.

Cargo Controller is suitable for containers, trailers (accompanied/unaccompanied) and other equipments

Cargo Controller works with Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Mozilla Firefox. Proper functioning of Cargo Controller cannot be guaranteed when using other browsers, such as Internet Explorer.

Cargo Controller is available in Dutch and English. To change your preference, see instruction manual ‘Setting up e-mail notifications and screen language’.