Shipping portal


Shipping portals are websites which allow shippers, consignees and forwarders access to multiple carriers through a single site. Portals provide bookings, track and trace, and documentation, and allow users to communicate with their carriers. In many respects, a shipping portal is to the maritime industry what a global distribution system is to the airline industry.

History

Shipping portals first emerged in 2000-2001 when CargoSmart, GT Nexus and INTTRA Inc. all launched their trial phases.

Portal members

Membership across the three main shipping portals comprises 30 carriers of varying sizes, but the majority are amongst the world's largest, so most of the industry's TEU capacity is represented.
CarrierTEUCargoSmartGT NexusINTTRA Inc.
Maersk / Safmarine / MCC Transport Singapore2,005,000
Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC)1,521,000
CMA CGM / Australian National Line (ANL)976,000
China Ocean Shipping Company (COSCO)497,000
Hapag-Lloyd488,000
American President Lines (APL)470,000
China Shipping Container Lines (CSCL)455,000
Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK)420,000
Hanjin / Senator Line382,000
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL)380,000
Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL)356,000
Hamburg Süd / Aliança318,000
K Line316,000
Yang Ming Line311,000
CSAV / Libra299,000
Zim Line277,000
Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM)265,000
United Arab Shipping Company (UASC)150,000
Wan Hai Lines123,000
Emirates Shipping Line25,000
Crowley Maritime19,000
Deutsche Afrika-Linien 11,000

Sailing schedule search engines

No portals can access all shipping lines. With around 250 container shipping lines world-wide, many carriers are left out. Sailing schedule search engines have emerged to allow users to find an appropriate service.