Rotterdam Port Intros TimeToBunker

The largest port in Europe, the Port of Rotterdam has introduced new app for bunkering notifications with which paperless bunkering and informing the Harbour Master and Customs possible in one go.

TimeToBunker App is bunker barge operator tool for electronic bunkering notification. Maud Eijgendaal and Marc de Vries of the Port of Rotterdam Authority developed the new innovative application.

Bunker specialists in the port of Rotterdam are obliged to notify the Port Authority and Customs prior to commencing each bunkering operation. These are practically the same notifications that currently still need to be made separately. This could be done smarter.

Maud Eijgendaal, Bunkering, LNG and Cruise Business Manager said: "Bunkering is one of the most important maritime services in the port, and globally we are in the top 3. Annually, sea-going vessels ‘fill up’ around 20,000 times. In total, these vessels bunker around 10 million tonnes of fuel, with a total value of several billions of euros. It is important that the entire bunkering process runs as safely and efficiently as possible."

Eijgendaal added: "But, in the bunkering market, many transactions still take place by telephone or paper. That takes an unnecessarily big amount of time and doesn’t always result in a reliable overview of bunkering activities. We developed the app because things can and must be done differently."

The digital TimeToBunker tool is the first step towards fully paperless bunkering. Submitting electronic notifications is much more efficient than the current working method and results in a more reliable overview of planned bunkering activities.

Information can also be shared more easily, and the application also allows the notification to be submitted to both the Harbour Master and Customs (optional) simultaneously.