Hamburg Vessel Coordination Center (HVCC) and tug shipping company Kotug Smit Towage have agreed to collaborate in order to improve the efficiency and quality of ship handling at the Port of Hamburg, according to a statement.
The deal will see Kotug Smit get access to the HVCC time-related and geographically extensive planning system.
It will also have all relevant traffic data and real-time information relating to changes in ship call planning and terminal handling.
This includes environmental data, such as wind speed and water and tide levels, all of which will be processed and available on HVCC’s dashboard solution, which will improve reaction time in the case of schedule changes and improve resource planning during peak traffic periods.
This is the latest data cooperation HVCC has agreed. In June 2018 it signed a deal with the Port of Rotterdam Authority to exchange data related to ships travelling between Rotterdam and Hamburg directly via an interface.
Read more about the benefits of data sharing in the maritime industry with a Port Technology technical paper
Gerald Hirt, Managing Director of HVCC, commented: “Our cooperation with Kotug Smit marks an important milestone in the continued development of HVCC’s partner portfolio.
“We believe the comprehensive network and data exchange within the port industry offers enormous potential for increased efficiency in the Port of Hamburg.
“We’re open to all business partners along the maritime transport chain.”
Eva Beykirch, General Manager of Kotug Smit Towage in Germany, also commented: “Kotug Smit Towage and HVCC have had a constructive exchange for some time now.
“We are particularly pleased to be joining forces on this pilot project. Progressive digitisation is the way of the future, and with this comprehensive information platform, we expect to see improvements in tug capacity utilisation, as well as even more efficient route and operational planning on board the tugs.”