Marine transportation / Managed BPO
Remote port call coordination for ship operators and agents
Actigy BPO maintains a remote port-call desk for ship operators and appointed agents. Each call sheet records who supplied an arrival estimate, who requested a time, where it applies and which event actually occurred. The next watch receives the current sheet and a list of confirmations still due.
Agree the scope, access and reviewer before a paid pilot.
- Pilot-boarding ETA
- 06:00 local time
- Original berth window
- 08:00
- New berth window
- 10:00, terminal-reported
- Follow-up
- Agent confirms the separate pilot-boarding time
A worked example of the record and decision flow. Not a client case or promised result.
The work. The handoff. Your decision.
A defined workflow in your systems
Port agencies, shipowners, charterers and short-sea operators that manage recurring port calls and need additional desk coverage across time zones.
You provide
Call instructions, vessel ETA and port-service confirmations.
Actigy BPO prepares
Call sheet, revision trail and named follow-ups for outstanding services.
You retain
Port arrangements, navigation and operational instructions.
Decision owner: Appointed agent and vessel operations owner. Confirm this role and the escalation contact in the written scope.
Service detail / 01
What does a port-call handover contain?
The call sheet identifies the vessel, voyage, port, terminal, berth or pilot boarding place, and contact authorized to confirm each event. The desk records source and receipt time with each update, preserves the prior value and highlights the effect on the next handover.
- Track estimated arrival, requested arrival and actual arrival as separate events at the applicable location.
- Record local date, time and UTC offset. Carry a UTC equivalent for cross-port comparison, keeping the original source time intact.
- Flag stale berth windows, conflicting service updates and missing acknowledgments against the agreed callback rules.
Worked example
Does a changed berth window change the pilot boarding time?
Suppose the ship estimates arrival at the pilot boarding place at 06:00 local time. The terminal moves the berth window from 08:00 to 10:00. The desk logs the berth revision and asks the appointed agent to confirm the separate pilot boarding time. It does not turn the new berth window into a navigation instruction.
Service detail / 03
Which services can the desk follow?
Under the agent’s instructions, the desk can request or compile status updates on pilotage, tugs, linesmen and terminal readiness. It records whom the agent contacted, the reference supplied and whether the response is provisional or confirmed. The appointed agent handles bookings, cancellations and formal notices according to its mandate. The port and service providers control their respective allocations.
Service detail / 04
Who makes decisions when a call changes?
The designated ship and shore contacts make navigational, berth and service decisions. The master retains command of the vessel. Your appointed local agent and the relevant authorities retain responsibility for official notifications, clearances and representation. The remote desk escalates conflicting instructions to those parties and records the confirmed outcome.
Service detail / 05
How do you test the handover on one port rotation?
Give the desk a sample call sheet, source contacts, time conventions and escalation rules for one rotation. Check whether the handover distinguishes the berth from the pilot boarding place, preserves the source of a revised time and names the person due to confirm the next event.
Before the first live queue
Bring the inputs that shape your scope
The proposal should identify what can be assigned, who can decide, and how you will accept the work. Start with one representative queue; agree any expansion after reviewing the pilot.
Define the workload
Port rotation, service list, local time conventions and reporting channels.
Agree the controls
Named agent and authority for confirming arrangements.
Review the right measures
Unconfirmed services, timestamp changes and handover corrections.
Before you decide
Buyer questions
Clarify the work, access and approval boundaries before assigning a team.
Can we keep our existing port agents?
Yes. Actigy works under your communications matrix and the appointed agent’s procedures. Agree who may request information, which channel constitutes a confirmation and who can commit the operator to a port service.
What is the difference between ETA and requested arrival?
The vessel’s estimated time of arrival describes its forecast for a specific place. A requested arrival time comes from the relevant port-side planning party. Both need a location, date and time zone; each should remain identifiable in the call record.
Can the desk submit port filings?
The scoped service prepares administrative inputs and tracks their status. The authorized agent or other designated party reviews and makes formal submissions through its approved channels.
What sets the price for port-call desk support?
Relevant inputs include calls per month, number of ports and vessels, service providers, working languages, hours of cover and expected update frequency. A sample rotation establishes the time needed for follow-up and quality checks.
How are estimated, requested, confirmed and actual times kept distinct?
Each timestamp needs an event, location, time zone, source and status. Preserve an ETA as estimated, a request as requested, and a confirmation as confirmed until an actual event is reported. A revised berth estimate does not automatically change pilot boarding or become an instruction to the vessel.
Get a port-call coverage estimate
Share calls per month, ports, time zones and which updates the appointed agent wants covered. Leave live vessel instructions out of the inquiry.
Your inquiry
Port-call operations support
Describe the workload and the decision owner. Keep confidential records out of the form; agree a suitable channel for any later sample.
- Review the fitWe review the workflow and the inputs you provide.
- Define the scopeDiscuss access, coverage, review and the proposed fee.
- Agree a paid pilotApprove the written scope before work begins.