Port of Rotterdam Authority Launches New Pronto Application

 

The application allows ships visiting the port to cut their waiting time by an average of 20 percent. The application enables more effective utilisation of capacity at the port terminals, as well as the precise planning and coordination of a range of vessel services, including bunkering, servicing and maintenance and provisioning. In addition, Pronto directly contributes to the reduction of CO2 emissions in the port.

 

“Pronto is a good example of how the Port Authority uses new digital solutions to raise the efficiency of processes in the port,” says Port Authority CFO Paul Smits, whose responsibilities include digitalisation, one of the organisation’s strategic spearheads. “Pronto is based on international standards and offers shipping companies, agents, service providers and operators a joint platform for the exchange of port call-related information. The application allows all users to optimally plan, execute and monitor activities throughout the entire port call. This yields concrete benefits for all parties involved. The uniform mutual exchange of standardised data allows port calls to be planned more effectively and efficiently and rounded off in a shorter period of time."

 

Paul added: "Pronto was extensively tested over the past year during the development phase. We will now be making it available to members of the port community – either in exchange for data or for a fee. In the period ahead, we will be further developing the application and adding a number of new features. We expect more and more terminals in the port to start using Pronto, which in turn will increase the accuracy of the data it generates.”

 

Some 30,000 sea-going vessels enter the port of Rotterdam every year. To plan these calls effectively, the shipping companies need detailed information about all sorts of factors, including water depths, admission policies and arrival and departure times. 

 

Since September 2017, we have a global standard for these types of nautical and port information. Since then, the nautical information used on board vessels is compatible with the data used in the ports and elsewhere in the logistics chain – a basic condition for Pronto’s successful development.

 

Shell was one of the parties that participated in the pilot in Rotterdam last year. Ed Barsingerhorn (GM Shipping & Maritime, Europe & Africa) from Shell: "The pilot convinced us of the added value of Pronto. We have reduced the waiting time up to 20% for departing ships. It is essential that all parties involved in the process, including terminal and agent, work closely together and share relevant data. When we exchange time stamp data not only in Rotterdam but also between ports, the improvement potential increases significantly. Ships can sail optimally laden and arrive just-in-time through better planning.”