Custom voyage report software for inland shipping
Appfront builds software for shipping lines, charterers and carriers in inland shipping who want to process the voyage reports of their vessels in the office. The reports from all vessels come in, are checked, and waiting hours and demurrage are calculated in line with the contract and terms. The result goes to invoicing, and you can see per shipper and terminal where the time is going. Recording on board is described on the page about the app.
What is voyage reporting software for inland shipping?
In inland shipping, the skipper records what happens on each voyage: arrival at the loading point, notice of readiness, start and end of loading, departure, arrival at the discharge point, and waiting. In the office, that report determines what is invoiced. Waiting time beyond the free loading and discharge time gives rise to demurrage, according to the contract and the applicable terms.
In practice, reports arrive by email, app or phone, with each vessel doing it differently. In the office, times are copied into a spreadsheet and demurrage is calculated by hand. A report with a missing time sits for a week. A shipper disputes the waiting hours, and the documents are still on board. Demurrage that is not invoiced is lost money, and nobody sees which terminals consistently keep vessels waiting.
We build custom software because businesses differ: how many vessels, which cargo, which contracts and terms, and which systems you use for planning and invoicing. The laytime and demurrage rates that apply are set by your contracts and the terms you use; where in doubt, agree those with your lawyer. The software calculates according to what you record.
All reports in one place
The reports from all vessels, from on board or as files, checked for missing times.
According to the contract
Loading time, discharge time, waiting hours and demurrage calculated according to contract and terms.
From report to invoice
The result goes to invoicing, with the documents attached in case a loader has questions.
How we build voyage reporting software for inland shipping
We start at your office: how many vessels, how reports come in, which contracts and terms apply, and where things get held up. If your vessels already use or will get the onboard app, the reports come straight from there. Vessels that don't deliver their data in another way, so every voyage is processed the same way.
Your vessels, contracts, terms, reports and systems.
Voyages per vessel, reports in, checks on timings.
Waiting time and demurrage per contract, through to invoicing.
Waiting times per loader and terminal, and then management.
What voyage reporting software for inland shipping actually does
The components below come up at almost every inland shipping company. Which ones you need depends on your fleet.
Voyages
Voyages per vessel with cargo and contract.
Reports
From onboard or by file, checked.
Calculation
Loading time, discharge time and demurrage.
Contracts
Terms per loader or contract.
Invoicing
Demurrage and freight through to the invoice.
Waiting times
Visible per loader and terminal.
Who we build voyage reporting software for in inland shipping
The software is intended for those who process reports from multiple vessels.
Shipping companies
Several vessels of your own. All reports in one place is the core.
Charterers
Many skippers and loaders. Demurrage matters most.
Tanker shipping
Long waiting times at terminals. The reporting is what you need.
Cooperatives
Invoicing for members. Processing is the core.
Test your idea first: a working prototype in 1 day
With OneDayBuild, we turn your idea into something tangible in one day for €1,150, so you can see whether further development is worth the investment. Decide to go ahead with the full build? Then we credit the full cost.
Explore OneDayBuild →Technology and integrations
This page is about processing voyage reports at the office. For recording on board, there is our page on an inland shipping voyage report app; for vessel certificates, our page on a certificate monitoring app for inland vessels; and for cargo procurement, our page on charter procurement and freight rates. You can read about our approach at software development.
For fuel suppliers to vessels, there is our bunker voucher software.
Why Appfront for your voyage reporting software for inland shipping?
Demurrage that isn't invoiced is money lost, and a report that sits for a week is payment delayed by a week. That's what we build around: all reports in one place, calculated per contract, and from report to invoice.
Nothing missed
Every hour of demurrage makes it onto the invoice.
Invoiced faster
Reports are processed straight away.
Understanding
Which terminals keep vessels waiting.
Security and privacy in voyage reporting software for inland shipping
The software holds data on vessels, voyages, loaders, contracts and rates. Access is set up by role, and a loader or skipper only sees their own voyages.
The software runs in a European data centre, with encrypted storage, daily back-ups and sign-in with a second factor.
Frequently asked questions about voyage reporting software for inland shipping
Questions inland shipping companies ask before getting started.
It collects the voyage reports from all vessels, checks them for missing or inconsistent times, calculates loading time, discharge time, waiting hours and demurrage per contract and terms, prepares the result for invoicing, and shows waiting times per loader and terminal.
The app is for on board: events with time and position, documents and signature, even without coverage. This software is for the office: processing reports from all vessels, calculating, invoicing and reporting.
According to the loading and unloading times and the rate set out in the contract or the applicable terms. You record per contract or per shipper what applies, and the software does the calculation. What you may charge is determined by your agreements; the software makes sure nothing is forgotten.
The software spots missing or illogical times and asks the skipper to supplement them, via the app or a message. That way a report doesn't sit for a week, and the invoice is accurate.
Yes. A report can also arrive as a file or form, or be entered at the office. That way all voyages are processed in the same way, even if not every vessel uses the app.
Yes, provided it has an interface. Freight and demurrage flow into invoicing, and voyages can come from the schedule.
Check that first. Some inland shipping planning packages include voyage reports and demurrage, and that may be sufficient. Custom development makes sense if you have many different contracts, reports are currently processed by hand, or you want to see which terminals consistently keep vessels waiting.
Every hour of demurrage on the invoice?
Tell us how many vessels you have, how reports currently come in, and which contracts and terms you apply. We will show you what processing, calculation and invoicing look like.