Helping make
better decisions
By utilising vast amounts of real-world port data, we make it easier to better predict things like laytime, terminal costs, and other factors that could impact the bottom line.
Adding value to the fixture lifecycle:
Pre-fixture: Solutions for chartering managers who generate hundreds of estimates and secure new business to hand over to operators. They need accurate, timely data to assess the feasibility of different port calls and estimate costs, often under tight deadlines.
Voyage & port call planning: Solutions for operators that handle the incredibly detailed planning and day-to-day operations of vessels, ensuring efficient and profitable port calls.
Problem
Chartering managers and operators, often pressed for time, were struggling with the rain multiplier—a small but critical tool for estimating unpaid time lost to rain during port stays. Despite being prominently placed, its overly wordy instructions turned what should’ve been a quick calculation into a frustrating maths test.
Action taken
After investigating, I cut the complexity by turning the rain multiplier into a straightforward calculator. Now, users could simply input their port stay duration and immediately see unpaid time based on the current month, with an option to adjust for future dates. No more instructions, no more excessive steps.
Outcome
After launch, month-on-month engagement doubled for six months, making the rain multiplier the most-used tool in its space. Users no longer needed guidance to locate or operate it, transforming it into a go-to feature for gauging unpaid time across multiple port calls. However, it also highlighted a new issue: switching to a new port required too many clicks. This led directly to the development of Port Search, created to tackle this frustration and make checking port time, cost, and restrictions much faster.
Problem
The system’s most frequently used screen—a table displaying historical port calls and industry benchmarks—had become less intuitive as customers’ internal processes evolved. Users needed quick, relevant insights on factors like towage costs, contract impacts, and cost volatility, yet the table remained their trusted source of data transparency.
Action taken
In a 5-day design sprint I facilitated, the team developed a “traffic light system” to surface critical concerns for users while preserving the table’s visibility. Each light highlighted a key issue, expanding as necessary to indicate potential risks in the data.
Outcome
Testing revealed that while users appreciated these insights, the system unintentionally disrupted their familiar workflow. They needed quick insights but didn’t want the table obscured. In later iterations, we made concerns user-activated, preserving the table’s core utility. This experience laid the groundwork for the next project, Port Search, which delves into enhancing the usability of accessing port data without losing the simplicity of the table that users value.
Problem
The old Chartering tool (inc. port costs) was outdated and demanded too much information upfront, making it difficult for chartering managers to access data without knowing specific details like terminal names. This led to frustration and a limited ability to explore general insights on port costs, restrictions, and time.
Action taken
The redesigned PortSearch was built with principles prioritising ease of access, speed, and flexibility. The new approach allowed users to enter broad queries and receive immediate insights, refining details progressively. Here’s how these principles came to life:
Broad Results First: Users could now start with minimal input, receiving high-level predictions on costs and time. For instance, entering a commodity and port (like discharging grains in Rotterdam) would provide an average across terminals, with suggested terminal predictions to help refine the result. This is particularly useful as users don’t always know which terminal they will call at.
Fast Port Switching: To streamline exploration of ports within a region, we enabled users to stay on the same screen when switching between ports, making it easy to compare locations without re-entering trade details.
Speed and Usability: Removing pagination and implementing virtualised scrolling meant users could view thousands of port calls quickly. Filter options allowed batch selection of calls with similar characteristics for greater cost accuracy.
Outcome
The results were impressive. PortSearch over doubled port call searches, with session times decreasing as information became more accessible and faster to find. Key tools like the rain multiplier became easier to access, with no dip in engagement. Surprisingly, the Restrictions area saw a surge in activity, becoming one of the most popular points of interest. I believe this is because a large amount of data was distilled down to a simple "Will your vessel fit" indicator. This success in data organisation and usability has since set a new benchmark, laying the groundwork for ongoing enhancements.
