For several months, the Waterland has been using Port Pro, Datema’s solution for simplifying pre-arrival documentation.

The Wagenborg tug boat operates in both harbor assistance and seagoing towage. Short voyages, changing schedules and unexpected port calls are part of daily operations – and every arrival comes with its own administrative requirements.

We went on board to speak with Captain André Rox, who has around fifteen years of experience in towage, and Officer Sander van Heteren, who recently switched from coastal shipping to towage services after ten years at sea.

Where precision meets paperwork

For André and Sander, the appeal of towage lies in its variety. Maneuvering in confined spaces, responding to changing situations and working closely together as a small crew make every job different.

For Sander, towage is a new and more hands-on environment after years in coastal shipping. For André, the combination of harbor assistance and seagoing assignments is exactly what keeps the work interesting.

At the same time, the administrative workload on board continues to grow. Authorities, agents, auditors and customers all require information. Pre-arrival documentation is a clear example: each port or agent may have its own forms, formats and requirements.

Crew details, passport numbers and vessel information often have to be entered repeatedly. For a vessel making several short voyages a week, this quickly becomes a time-consuming task.

“Before Port Pro, we could easily spend an hour or more on the pre-arrival paperwork for a single port call.”

When priorities compete

A passage through the Kiel Canal showed exactly why this matters. Due to changing weather conditions the Waterland  was instructed to divert to Rendsburg during towage operations. André was at the controls, while Sander was taking his required rest. At the same time, the pre-arrival documentation for the unexpected port call still had to be completed.

In a situation like this, the crew needs to focus on safe navigation, the vessel and the conditions around them. The paperwork is necessary, but it should not compete for their attention.

For André and Sander, this underlined the need for a smarter way to handle port documentation.

From repetitive work to a few clicks

With Port Pro, vessel and voyage information is managed in one central place. From there, the crew can generate the required pre-arrival documents for the selected port, agent or harbor authority.

There is no need to search for the correct form or repeatedly enter information that is already available. What previously could take an hour or more can now be handled within minutes.

That is particularly valuable in towage, where plans can change quickly. The crew recalls a recent series of jobs where one towing assignment immediately led to another, with destinations and port calls changing along the way.

In these situations, Port Pro gives the crew the flexibility to prepare the required documentation quickly and move on with the operation. So far, the generated documents have also been accepted without issue, avoiding delays caused by incorrect versions or formats.

Simple to keep up to date

Port Pro’s integration with Chartplanner also makes updates straightforward. When new ports or updated documents become available, the crew receives a notification. A simple update ensures the latest content is available on board within minutes.

Datema supported both crew groups during implementation on the Waterland. Built-in manuals provide additional guidance, while remote support is available when needed. This made it easy to incorporate Port Pro into the crew’s daily routine.

More time for what matters

Asked to sum up Port Pro, Sander calls it “a relief.” André describes it as “a recommendation.”

They have already recommended Port Pro to colleagues. For them, the value is not just in saving time. It also reduces repetitive work and frustration, while making port formalities easier to manage – especially when schedules change at short notice.

Ultimately, Port Pro gives the crew more time and attention for what matters most: the vessel, the operation and safe navigation.

Less time on paperwork. More time for the operation.

Port Pro helps shipowners and crews manage pre-arrival documentation and port formalities through one smart solution.

Would you like to discover what Port Pro can do for your vessels? Get in touch with Datema.