Germany-based Portrix Logistic Software (PLS), a leading developer of logistics rates management solutions, is developing a software application which will provide a solution for managing demurrage and detention (D&D) charges.

The solution, part of Portrix’s acclaimed Global Price Management (GPM) platform, will transform the way D&D is handled, for carriers, freight forwarders and shippers worldwide, said a statement from the company.

The first prototype of GPM Demurrage & Detention will be unveiled at the transport logistic exhibition in Munich from May 9 to 12, one of the highest profile exhibitions within the industry, it said.

The GPM extension offers users an intuitive window onto their global D&D spend, storing all free time agreements in one portal, from where global container movements and costs can be easily tracked. Fees can be prevented through proactive warnings of upcoming D&D charges, invoicing becomes simplified, and the drain on resources incurred by managing D&D can be halted, it added.

Henning Voss, co-founder and CEO of PLS, said the application is exactly what the industry has been crying out for.

He added: “The complexity of D&D costs and management is a huge issue for everyone within this industry, but often falls somewhat under the radar as it exists outside the spectrum of the normal transportation movement and associated costs. However, every company, from every part of container logistics, feels the pain.”

“The carriers find it difficult to keep track of the correct fees to invoice. Freight forwarders, who both buy and sell these services, aren’t always aware of what they will be invoiced and many struggle to invoice their customers correctly. Shippers share the freight forwarders challenge in regards to the carrier invoices. It’s a twisted web of interactions, fees and movements, which, until now, the industry has really struggled to untangle,” he added.

The new software gives users an unparalleled global overview of D&D activity, with easy calculation of applicable D&D cost, and the ability to drill down and refine views, as well as determining which containers are at risk and actual costs being incurred. Users can then search for individual containers, customers and a host of other options. Information can be easily accessed, analysed and, if desired, downloaded into Excel.

Voss added: “We’ve been developing solutions for the logistics industry since 2001 and know the needs of our customers inside out.”

“In a business environment that is ever more complex, demanding and competitive, we’re focused on continually refining our solutions to simplify tasks, enhance productivity and increase profitability,” he said.

“That is the very essence of our new D&D portal. It provides transparency and clarity, and that ensures that invoicing is straightforward and accurate for all parties. Costs can better be managed, workloads reduced and movements monitored. Put simply, no more D&D headaches,” he stated.

GPM Demurrage & Detention is expected to be launched to the wider logistics market during the second half of 2017.

PLS’s GPM is the trusted choice of the freight forwarding industry, with five of the top 10 global providers utilising the software. It is a solution built on over 15 years of specialist niche expertise and backed up by a unique software toolbox, unrivalled master data and high quality, personalised service, it stated. – TradeArabia News Service