Tugs assisting a laden container vessel onto its berth

Portall | Maritime Operations

Berth Allocation

Planning the right berth for the right vessel at the right time.
Berth allocation brings together vessel schedules, cargo requirements, berth constraints, yard capacity, marine resources and operational priorities into one coordinated decision.

Berth planning begins before the vessel arrives.

The process starts when the port or terminal receives information about an upcoming vessel call. An initial plan is prepared in advance and progressively refined as the expected arrival and operating conditions become clearer.

Berth allocation is a staged process — planned in advance, confirmed closer to arrival and revised when conditions change.

01Vessel call received

ETA, vessel, voyage and cargo information becomes available.

02Initial plan

A suitable berth is identified against known constraints.

03Plan refined

Actual ETA, berth occupancy and resources are updated.

04Berth confirmed

The planned berth and expected berthing time are communicated.

05Replanned if needed

New conditions can trigger a revised allocation.

The terminal planner is central to the specific berth decision.

The exact responsibility depends on the port operating model. For a terminal-specific berth, the terminal or berth/vessel planner is typically the key planning role, while the Port Authority or port operator manages the wider port and marine environment.

Terminal / Berth Planner

Develops the berth plan and matches the vessel with berth, yard, equipment and operational resources.

Port Authority / Port Operator

Oversees port-wide marine access, navigational safety, regulations and vessel movement coordination.

Shipping Line / Agent

Provides vessel particulars, voyage, cargo, ETA and special requirements, and communicates changes.

Marine Services

Pilots, tugs and VTS support safe vessel movement and confirm marine capability for the call.

Yard & Operations

Provide visibility into yard capacity, cargo flow, equipment, labour and operational readiness.

A berth is selected by balancing the vessel against the operating environment.

The decision combines physical compatibility with cargo, yard, voyage, marine, safety and commercial considerations.

A container vessel on approach to a quay lined with ship-to-shore cranes Vessel & Voyage

Can the vessel physically and operationally use the berth?

LOA, beam, draft, air draft, vessel class, mooring requirements, ETA, route, service type and next port of call.

Stacks of shipping containers under quay cranes in a terminal yard Cargo

Can the berth support the cargo operation?

Cargo type, cargo volume, loading/discharge requirements, special cargo, crane demand and expected berth occupancy.

Aerial view of container blocks and internal roadways in a terminal yard Yard

Can the yard support the vessel?

Yard capacity, block availability, reefer plugs, DG/OOG areas, internal transportation requirements and congestion.

Ship-to-shore cranes and quay equipment working a vessel alongside Berth & Infrastructure

Does the berth have the required infrastructure?

Berth dimensions, draft limitations, crane outreach and compatibility, pipelines, conveyors and other cargo-specific infrastructure.

Tugs assisting a vessel onto its berth Marine & Safety

Can the vessel safely reach and occupy the berth?

Channel depth, tides, weather, wind, currents, navigational restrictions, pilot availability, tug availability and manoeuvring requirements.

Vessels working alongside under ship-to-shore cranes Commercial & Service

Are there service or commercial commitments?

Berth windows, service commitments, priority arrangements and demurrage/despatch exposure.

Once the berth is finalized, the allocation moves through the port ecosystem.

The exact systems and interfaces vary by port, but the operational objective is consistent: ensure the berth decision and relevant information reach the stakeholders coordinating the vessel call.

01 / Planning Berth finalized Terminal / Berth Planner
02 / Terminal Allocation shared TOS
03 / Port community Information distributed POS / PMIS / PCS
04 / Agent Vessel informed Shipping Agent / Line
05 / Vessel Berthing prepared Vessel / VTS / Marine

Berth allocation remains dynamic throughout the vessel call.

A berth that was suitable when first planned may no longer be the best option when the operating situation changes.

Port-led changes

Changes originating within the port or terminal environment.

  • Berth maintenance or breakdown
  • Crane or equipment unavailability
  • Yard congestion
  • Another vessel overstaying
  • Weather or marine restrictions
  • Emergency or operational priorities

Vessel-led changes

Changes originating from the vessel, shipping line or voyage.

  • Revised ETA or delayed departure
  • Change in cargo volume or type
  • Change in vessel rotation
  • Additional special cargo
  • Change in expected port stay
  • Updated vessel information

Plan the berth. Align resources. Keep vessels moving.

Berth allocation is a port-level decision. Vessel movements, berth occupancy, resources, environmental conditions and stakeholder information all influence when, where and how a vessel can be berthed. Portall addresses different layers of the berth journey through PMIS, PCS and TOS — from port-level allocation, to stakeholder coordination, to terminal execution.

01
PMIS

Manage and allocate the berth

Berth Management and Allocation sits at the port level, where vessel movements, berth occupancy and wider port conditions need to be considered together.

A port at dusk with vessels alongside the quay and cranes working
What Portall supports

Portall PMIS provides the port-level operational layer for berth management and allocation, supported by visibility, monitoring, analytics and decision support.

Berth allocation & reallocationAllocate berths based on the current port operating situation and reallocate them when vessel movements, berth availability or operational conditions change, helping minimise waiting and disruption.
Port-wide operational visibilityGet a consolidated view of port activities to assess the changing operational situation and support timely berth-related decisions.
Vessel movement monitoringMonitor vessel movements and berth occupancy to understand vessel progress and support timely operational decisions around berthing.
Resource coordinationCoordinate pilots, tugs and other port resources around vessel movements and berth operations, so required resources are available when needed during berthing and vessel turnaround.
02
PCS

Coordinate the berth call

The berth request, vessel information and related submissions need to move efficiently between the stakeholders involved in the vessel call.

A laden container vessel under way, seen from above
What Portall supports

Portall PCS provides a single-window environment for information exchange, digital submissions and stakeholder coordination across the port community.

Vessel-call informationSupport the exchange of information associated with the vessel call.
Berth requestsSupport berth-related requests and information exchange through the port community.
Digital submissionsEnable required information to be submitted through a digital channel.
Stakeholder communicationSupport information exchange between the parties involved in the vessel call.
03
TOS

Execute and optimise terminal operations

Once a berth is allocated, the terminal must coordinate the vessel, cargo, yard, equipment and resources required to execute the call.

Aerial view of a container vessel worked alongside a stacked terminal yard
What Portall supports

Portall TOS connects berth management with the wider terminal operation, supporting vessel scheduling, berth and bay optimisation, yard operations and resources.

Berth managementSupport terminal-side berth management within vessel operations.
Berth & bay optimisationImprove vessel load and discharge operations through berth scheduling and bay planning.
Yard managementCoordinate yard activities around the vessel and cargo operation.
Resource optimisationSupport dynamic equipment allocation and improved utilisation of terminal assets.

Allocate. Coordinate. Execute.

01PMIS

Manages port-level berth allocation and operational visibility.

02PCS

Coordinates information and digital processes across stakeholders.

03TOS

Executes and optimises the terminal-side vessel operation.

One connected berth-allocation journey.

From the first vessel call information to the final performance insight, berth allocation is a continuous cycle of planning, execution and adjustment.

  1. ReceiveVessel call
  2. AssessConstraints
  3. PlanBerth plan
  4. AllocateBerth
  5. CommunicateStakeholders
  6. ExecuteVessel call
  7. ReplanExceptions
  8. AnalysePerformance

What analysis returns feeds the next vessel call, and the cycle begins again.

Connecting the information behind every berth decision.

When vessel, cargo, berth, yard, equipment, marine and port information are connected, berth allocation becomes a continuous, data-driven operational process rather than a standalone scheduling activity.