Direct connection to the Port Community System of Rotterdam and Amsterdam. Alex receives vessel arrivals, container events, customs statuses and gate-out notifications — sends Pre-Notification automatically and writes it all into your TMS. No migration, no portal work.
Portbase is the Port Community System (PCS) of the Netherlands and the digital backbone of the ports of Rotterdam and Amsterdam. It connects 4,000+ companies in the logistics chain: shipping lines, terminals, forwarders, customs brokers, carriers and government bodies. Millions of messages a day flow through it — vessel arrivals, container statuses, customs notifications and cargo data.
For logistics service providers, Portbase is non-negotiable: it is the single source of real-time container information in the Dutch ports and the only channel for mandatory notifications like the Pre-Notification (Melding Vooraf). But manually operating the Portbase portal eats hours a day. Staff log in dozens of times, search on container numbers, read off events and copy data into the TMS. A Portbase integration via AI eliminates that hand work.
Logentic uses the Portbase API via a certified connection. We set up the integration for you, including authentication and authorisation for the required Portbase services. The connection runs over secure channels compliant with Portbase security standards and is GDPR-compliant end to end.
The AI agent listens continuously for events from Portbase via the push-notification system. When a relevant event arrives — a vessel arrival, a container discharge, a customs release or a gate-out — it is processed automatically. The agent maps it to the right shipment in your system, carries out the required actions (update the TMS, inform the customer, plan transport) and logs everything in an audit trail. The same agent also handles your booking email processing and B/L & CMR extraction, keeping the whole chain — from email to Portbase notification — in a single flow.
Logentic receives vessel arrival notifications through Portbase the moment a vessel approaches Rotterdam or Amsterdam. Based on the voyage and B/L numbers in your system, the agent matches the vessel to your active shipments automatically.
Your team no longer checks manually whether a ship has arrived. The agent detects arrival, estimates discharge time from the terminal schedule, and informs your operations team and the relevant customer. ETAs that shift due to port congestion or weather are communicated immediately.
The Pre-Notification (Dutch: Melding Vooraf) is a mandatory notification to Portbase for picking up or delivering containers at terminals in Rotterdam and Amsterdam. Logentic generates and sends these notifications automatically the moment a container is available and transport is scheduled.
The agent fills in every required field: container number, pin code, driver licence plate, estimated pickup time and terminal location. This prevents drivers being turned away at the gate for a missing or incorrect Pre-Notification. When transport changes (different plate, different time), the notification is updated in Portbase automatically.
From inbound booking email to Pre-Notification in Portbase — without anyone logging in, retyping data or clicking through the portal.
Book a demo →| Approach | Manual work per day | Pre-Notification | TMS integration | Implementation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Logentic AI agent | None | Automatic | CargoWise, Softpak, Descartes, Boltrics | 5–10 working days, no IT capacity needed |
| Direct Portbase portal | 2–4 hours per staff member | Filed manually | None — data retyping | Immediate, but permanent hand work |
| Visibility platform (e.g. Dockflow) | ~1 hour per staff member | Separate process | Limited, often CSV-based | Weeks to months |
| TMS-native Portbase module | ~1 hour per staff member | Inside TMS, often manual | Only with that specific TMS | Integration project, usually 3+ months |
Portbase data processed by Logentic is pushed into your Transport Management System automatically. Whether you run CargoWise, Softpak, Descartes, Boltrics 3PL Dynamics or another TMS — container events, customs statuses and terminal info are written back in real time. Staff stop logging into the Portbase portal to chase statuses.
Logentic also ties Portbase data to your customer communication. When a container is discharged, released by customs or gate-out happens, the relevant customers receive an update by email or WhatsApp — under your brand. Service levels rise, inbound status enquiries fall.
Portbase never stands alone. It typically starts with a booking email from a shipper, followed by a Bill of Lading or CMR with the final shipment details, and customs preparation (T1, MRN, HS code). Alex handles the full chain — and Portbase is where all that information converges toward the port. For customers who want to follow their shipments, Logentic provides a track & trace view built on the same Portbase events.
A Portbase integration is a secure API connection to the Port Community System of Rotterdam and Amsterdam. Through it you receive real-time events on vessel arrivals, container discharge and release, customs statuses, and send mandatory notifications such as the Pre-Notification. Logentic configures the connection and routes the events directly into your TMS.
Pricing depends on your shipment volume and which Portbase services you use. The first 2 weeks are free, including full configuration of the Portbase connection and integration with your TMS. Exact quote after a 45-minute intake call.
Typically 5 to 10 working days from API authorisation approval. Logentic handles the technical connection and TMS integration. You don't need to commit internal IT capacity.
Yes. You need your own Portbase subscription for the services you want to use. Logentic operates under your authorisation and processes events on your behalf.
Yes. Portbase is the Port Community System for both Rotterdam and Amsterdam. Integration fully supports Maasvlakte, Waalhaven, Eemhaven, Amsterdam Container Terminal and TMA.
Alex processes the main Portbase services: Cargo Controller, Pre-Notification transport, Import & Export Notifications, Customs Notifications, Hinterland Container Notification Service (HCN) and Pre-arrival Declarations.
CargoWise, Softpak, Descartes, Boltrics 3PL Dynamics and Exact Online. No migration required. Any other TMS: custom integration.
Yes. Secure API channels compliant with Portbase security standards, all processing within the EU. Logentic is AEO-certified and operates under a DPA with your company.
Book a free 45-minute demo. We'll show you how Alex processes a booking email in 30 seconds, files a Pre-Notification, and updates your TMS — without anyone logging in to Portbase.