Ocean Vessel

The number of larger vessels has been increasing for years. The number of large vessel calls, which require special arrival conditions, has increased for years. Besides container ships, bulk vessels, RoRos and cruise ships have their own operational requirements for the river, port and infrastructure.

The Nautical Terminal Coordination (NTC) department serves as the central point of contact for shipping lines, terminals and service providers in the Port of Hamburg regarding the arrival and departure of their ships. It provides 24/7 support for passage planning - long before the ship embarks on its journey on the Elbe River. This allows for resources to be planned on real-time data and early ship speed adjustment.

For terminals, the NTC consolidates various operational requirements and information into a comprehensive overview. This enables early identification of potential conflict situations and the development of solutions - always with the aim of optimizing the port as a whole.

In communication with the harbour master's division of the Hamburg Port Authority AöR and the vessel pilots, the NTC provides consolidated operational planning communication for the involved terminals. Conversely, the NTC serves as the central operational point of contact for authorities and pilots towards the carrier. The process between operational coordination planning by the NTC and navigation management and vessel traffic services by the public authorities is a unique interaction.

Vessel Arrival Coordination

Through advanced planning in terms of time and geography, potential conflict situations are identified and resolved early. NTC coordination ensures that ships arrive just-in-time at the river Elbe with the appropriate speed from the previous port, at best avoiding waiting times. This saves bunker fuel and protects the environment. Additionally, resources at the terminals can be optimally pre-planned.

Frequent NTC communication with the terminals during cargo handling guarantees condition assessment and potential re-planning requirements for departure of each vessel, keeping all partners situationally informed.

Passage planning

With the passage plan, the shipowner receives a comprehensively coordinated voyage plan with all relevant information on routing, weather, tide and traffic situation. If, for example, the general conditions change, the NTC informs the shipowner immediately. Planned and actual vessel position during arrival are continuously monitored.