Alfa Laval-owned maritime technology company StormGeo has acquired Copenhagen-based port-call software specialist Portchain, in a move aimed at linking voyage optimisation with terminal berth availability.
The deal gives StormGeo access to Portchain’s network of shipping lines and more than 200 container terminals, which represents over 40% of global container terminal capacity, according to the companies.
Portchain’s software enables carriers and terminals to exchange vessel schedules, cargo volumes and berth information. Its systems also support planning for cranes and terminal workforces.
Operational context
StormGeo intends to combine these capabilities with its Voyage Intelligence platform. The planned integration would allow vessel operators to adapt speed and routing decisions according to the expected availability of a berth at the destination terminal.
The approach is intended to address a recurring operational issue in container shipping: vessels may consume fuel to maintain a scheduled arrival time but then face delays because no berth is available on arrival.
Portchain brings two principal products into the StormGeo group. Portchain Connect is used for schedule and operational-data exchange between shipping lines and terminals. Portchain Quay supports berth allocation and resource planning.
The company will continue to operate independently under StormGeo for the next few years before being integrated into StormGeo’s broader product portfolio.
Portchain has continued to expand its customer base among container operators. In August, Singapore-based X-Press Feeders adopted Portchain Connect to support berth planning and reduce waiting times across its feeder network.
For StormGeo, the acquisition extends a digital-services offering that has grown beyond weather routing. Earlier this year, the company integrated real-time bunker pricing into its fleet optimisation platform.
The purchase price has not been disclosed. The companies also did not provide a timetable for launching a combined software offering.