Making port calls more efficient

Careful analysis of data using the Qronoport platform can reduce wasted time for liquid bulk vessels during port calls A liquid bulk vessel is sailing towards the Port of Antwerp, which is extremely efficient, and one of the world’s most important chemical ports. The vessel is one of the 5,300 liquid bulk vessels that arrive at the port every year, making 8,700 berth calls at the different terminals. She first arrives at the pilot station at sea to get clearance to sail into the port, and is one of the 65% of liquid bulk vessels which have to wait for that clearance. Like one in three such vessels, the reason for her wait is that a berth isn’t available. In recent years at Antwerp, tankers have waited a total of around 73,900 hours at a pilot station at sea, with 25,850 of those hours spent waiting for a berth. Clearance received, the vessel sails into the port. Of course, there is more waiting here, and a quarter of the time at berth is considered ‘wasted’. There is idle time between the gangway going down and there being a surveyor on board, gaps between the lab results being received and cargo operations starting, and between the completion of operations and the...