Start with Hinterland Container Notification Road

In the video below, we explain everything about the service Hinterland Container Notification Road. Below the video you will find more information to use as reference alongside the video. 

Also available in Dutch or German.

Starting MCA Road

1. Go to iamconnected.eu in your browser.
2. Click login and follow the steps to sign in.
3. After login, click the PCS tile.
4. In My services, under Road, choose the service Hinterland Container Notification.

Don’t have access to this service yet? The colleague within your organisation who has been designated as the Portbase main user can grant you the required authorisation.

Dashboard

Your status requests and pre-notifications are categorised using five tabs on the left of the dashboard.

• All handlings: This tab shows all status requests (handlings that are not yet linked to a visit) and pre-notifications (handlings that are linked to a visit).
• To do: This shows all handlings excluding the handlings that have been picked up/dropped off.
• Status requests: This tab shows all status requests.
• Not ready: This tab shows all handlings that are not yet fully ready to be picked up/dropped off.
• Completed: Once a handling has been picked up/dropped off, you can find it in this tab.  

To ensure MCA Road continues to function stably and quickly, when starting the service the 500 most recent pre-notifications and the 500 most recent status requests are retrieved. When you use the search bar, tabs, the terminal filter or the drop-off/pick-up filter, the search/filter is performed within these 1,000 results. If you are looking for a specific handling that is not among these results, you can use the date filter to retrieve all results within the selected time period.

Not all terminals send gate-in/gate-out information to MCA Road. Pre-notifications for which no gate-in/gate-out is sent are automatically moved from the ‘To do’ tab to the ‘Completed’ tab seven days after ETA. 

Search and (date) filter

In the search bar at the top of the dashboard, you can search for things such as:

• Shipping company
• TAR code
• Pick-up/drop-off number
• Etc.

You can use multiple search terms at the same time by separating them with a space. You automatically search within the tab you are currently on. If a handling is not found within the current tab, you can search within the All handlings tab with one click. 

You can refine your search using the date filter on the left of the dashboard.

1. Click date under the tabs.

2. Select a date range (max. 31 days) or choose one specific day.

3. Click apply to apply the filter.

Want to adjust the date range? Then click the filter again.
Want to remove the filter? Click the cross to the right of date.

To the right of the search bar you will find a pick-up/drop-off and terminal filter. These filters make it possible to further specify the search. 

Sorting

With the sorting function, located to the right of the filters, you can sort the handlings based on: 

• Time slot (ascending)
• Recently updated
• status 

In the All handlings tab, sorting is set by default to time slot (descending).  

status information

On the dashboard, visits are displayed with the corresponding handling(s). Visits are indicated by light grey blocks. One or more handlings fall under a visit. Within the grey block of a visit, a handling is indicated by a white block. 

For each handling, the dashboard shows the most essential status information using dots. Hover your mouse over these dots for more detailed information about documents, container availability, commercial release and more.

Registering a new handling with a status request or pre-notification

Follow the steps below to create a new status request or pre-notification:

1. Click the Add handling button at the top right of the dashboard.
2. Fill in the mandatory fields. These are indicated with an asterisk (*). Tip: you can quickly move through the date and time fields using the tab key. For example, by entering 15 in the date field and then pressing the tab key, the date will be completed with the current month and year. The time field is automatically completed with the full hour.
3. Click the Submit status request button at the bottom of the screen to submit a status request. If you want to submit the new handling as a pre-notification, click the Submit pre-notification button. By submitting a pre-notification, you make an appointment at the terminal to pick up/deliver a container.

Not every terminal supports status requests. See here which terminals support status requests.

Upload functionality 

It is possible to upload multiple containers at once using the Upload functionality in combination with the XLS template. Follow the steps below:

1. Click the Add handling button at the top right of the dashboard.
2. Click the Excel tab to the right of the Manual tab at the top of the screen.
3. Click Download Excel template to download the spreadsheet.
4. Open the spreadsheet in Excel.
5. Carefully read the instructions on the first tab regarding the mandatory fields.
6. Fill in the spreadsheet and save it on your computer.
7. Upload or drag the Excel file to the designated area on the Excel tab.
8. Click the Submit as status request button to submit the handlings as a status request. If you want to upload the handlings as a pre-notification, click the Submit as pre-notification button. By submitting a pre-notification, you make an appointment at the terminal for picking up/delivering a container.

Editing a handling or visit

Editing a handling

Follow the steps below to edit a handling:

1. Click Details to the right of the handling you want to edit.
2. Click the Edit button at the top right of the dashboard. Here you can adjust the handling details (e.g. container number, acceptance reference, carrier, etc.).
3. To adjust a status request, click Update status request to save the changes. To adjust a pre-notification, click Update pre-notification to save the changes.

Follow the steps below to cancel a handling:

1. Select the handling(s) you want to cancel.
2. Click the Cancel handling(s) button in the menu bar at the top of the dashboard.

If you want to submit a pre-notification for the cancelled handling again, then link the cancelled handling to a new visit to save costs. You can do this by selecting the cancelled handling and clicking Attach to visit in the menu bar at the top of the screen. If you create a new pre-notification, you will ultimately pay for two pre-notifications.

Converting a status request into a pre-notification

Follow the steps below to convert a status request into a pre-notification. You can convert the status request into a pre-notification on a new visit or link the pre-notification directly to an existing visit. 

Follow the steps below to convert a status request into a pre-notification on a new visit:

1. Select the status request you want to convert into a pre-notification.
   
2. Click the Create pre-notification button in the menu bar at the top of the dashboard.
   
3. Choose the terminal where you want to submit a pre-notification for the container and enter the ETA.
4. Then click Submit pre-notificaiton to finalise the conversion of the status request into a pre-notification.
5. Click the Create pre-notification button in the menu bar at the top of the dashboard.
6. Choose the terminal where you want to submit a pre-notification for the container and enter the ETA.
7. Then click Submit pre-notificaiton to finalise the conversion of the status request into a pre-notification.

Follow the steps below to convert a status request into a pre-notification under an existing visit. You can also perform the action below for multiple status requests at the same time.

1. Select the status request you want to convert into a pre-notification.
   
2. Click the Attach to visit button in the menu bar at the top of the dashboard.
   
3. The visits are automatically filtered on the terminal for which the status request was submitted.
4. Finalise converting the status request into a pre-notification under an existing visit by clicking Attach to this visit to the right of the relevant visit.

Adjusting executing haulier / Executing Charter

Read the article Adjusting Executing charter in Hinterland Container Notification Road for more information. 

Linking/unlinking containers

Linking containers

There are two ways to link containers.

• Select an existing handling / multiple handlings and link these to an existing visit.
• Select an existing visit and add a new or existing handling to it.

Option 1: Select an existing handling and link it to an existing visit. 

It is also possible to select multiple handlings at the same time.

1. Select the handling(s) you want to link to an existing visit.

2. Click the Attach to other visit button in the menu bar at the top of the dashboard.

   

3. Click the Attach to other visit button in the pop-up that appears.
4. The visits are automatically filtered on the terminal for which the handling was submitted.
5. Click the Attach to this visit button to the right of the visit you want to link the handling to.

Option 2: Select an existing visit and add a new or existing handling to it.

1. Click Actions to the right of the visit to which you want to add a handling.
2. Click Add handling to this visit.
3. The handlings are automatically filtered on the terminal to which the visit is planned.

4. If you want to add a new handling to the visit, click the Create new handling button at the top right of the dashboard. Fill in the mandatory fields and submit the new pre-notification by clicking the Submit pre-notification button at the bottom right of the screen.

   

5. If you want to add an existing handling to the visit, click the Move handling button to the right of the handling you want to add to the visit.

Unlinking containers

To unlink containers from a visit, follow the steps below:

1. Select the handling(s) you want to unlink from a visit.

2. Click the Detach from visit button in the menu bar at the top of the dashboard.

   

3. Click the Detach handling button in the pop-up that appears.

Shipments

Watch the video below for more information about shipments. 

Also available in Dutch.

With the Shipments function, you have insight into which containers have been assigned to you via nomination. You can also nominate another inland operator for the pre-notification and collecting the container. This is a new way of working to share data securely with each other, also known as the Secure Chain.

Components

From the MCA Road service, go to the Shipments tab. Here you will see an overview of all containers for which you have been nominated via the Secure Chain and for which further action may be required.  

Under the Arrivals tab, you will find the containers displayed per seagoing vessel. Under the Shipments tab, the containers are grouped by principal or cargo director. With the filter above the containers, you can quickly find your container(s). 

Make sure the date range is set to the ETA of the seagoing vessel.

Actions to perform

At container level, you can perform a number of actions. Select one or more containers and at the bottom of the screen you will see three buttons with actions:

• Forward: nominate another inland operator
• Cancel forward: withdraw a nomination
• Download: download container data

Forward

1. Click the Forward button to nominate an inland operator for handling the transport and the pre-notification.
2. Then type the name of the organisation you want to nominate. As you type, the relevant organisations will appear on the screen.
3. Select the correct organisation and it will be linked immediately.

You have now outsourced the pre-notification and transport of the container to another inland operator. The chosen inland operator is now visible in the container details. The container remains visible to you and you can continue to follow the container status, planned and actual pick-up times. Only your own status request or pre-notification is cancelled during the transfer.

Cancel Forward

Do you want to withdraw your nomination for one or more containers? After selecting a container, click Cancel Foward. This container will disappear from your overview. You then nominate another inland operator. 

Download

Using the Download button, you download an Excel file with data of the selected containers for your own TMS.   

Email notifications

It is possible to be informed by email in the event of, for example, handlings and/or visits being rejected or accepted. To receive these updates, you must subscribe to the email notifications.

1. Click the bell icon at the top right of the dashboard.
   
2. Under notifications, enter the email address where you want to receive the notifications.
3. Click the Save button to save your preferences.

If you use group email addresses, the email address only needs to be set up by one user within your organisation. This is to prevent you receiving the same email multiple times at this email address.

Email container statuses

It is possible to email container status(es) directly from HCN to yourself or to an external email address. Follow the steps below:

1. Select the handling(s) for which you want to receive the container statuses by email.
2. Click the Email handling(s) button in the menu bar at the top of the dashboard.
   
3. Enter the email address to which you want to send the container statuses.
4. Click the Send button.

Within a few minutes, an email will be sent to the specified email address. See the example email below for illustration.

Copy visit details as text

MCA Road also offers the option to copy visit details as text, which can be shared with your driver via the onboard computer.

1. Click Actions to the right of the visit for which you want to copy the details as text.
2. Click Copy visit as text.

See the screenshot below for illustration.

Receive an email in case of a Secure Chain nomination or cancellation

Email notifications are now available when receiving a Secure Chain nomination and when a nomination is withdrawn

If you want to receive these notifications, add your email address in the HCN web screen. 

Do you use group email addresses? Then the email address should only be set up by one user within your organisation to prevent multiple copies of the same message being received in the group inbox.

These email messages give you insight into (last-minute) changes, and therefore better review of your Secure Chain shipments. 

Status requests and pre-notifications are automatically cancelled when a cargo director/customer withdraws the Secure Chain nomination. This may affect your planning. Contact your customer if this causes problems.