Which ocean carriers do you support?
We support all ocean carriers.
Which information does the API provide?
The API provides you with ocean supply chain visibility and predictability. Through the API, you will get information about container events as well as information about equipment and locations.
Container events are unified across all the data providers we integrate. These events are GATE_OUT_EMPTY, GATE_IN_FULL, LOADED, EMBARKED, ARRIVED, DISCHARGED, GATE_OUT_FULL, and GATE_IN_EMPTY. In addition, we supply all non-mappable events under an OTHER category for you to get everything available in a simple list.
Equipment information is all about the container (e.g., size and type) and vessel (name, MMSI, IMO, size, type, etc.).
Locations are all ports from POL to POD. These include all historic and future port calls. In case of transhipments (scheduled or unscheduled), these are included too.
What information is needed to track a container?
To track a container, you will need either a Master BOL (bill of lading) or a container ID. From the bill of lading, we will find the list of associated containers. If you provide a container ID, you will need to additionally provide the ocean carrier SCAC. But do not despair! If the SCAC or even the ocean carrier is unknown, we will search for your container among all carriers.
How often is GateHouse Maritime’s data updated?
Container events and schedules are updated at least every 8 hours. In case of vessel arrivals or departures events, the data is updated immediately. ETAs are recalculated every 15 minutes.
How does AIS enhance the service quality?
AIS is used to create very precise Arrived and Embarked events. These events are triggered when the vessel carrying the container is entering/leaving the terminal-specific geofence within a port. An exact vessel ETA is calculated from the AIS-based vessel position.
AIS (Automatic Identification System) is a VHF-based collision avoidance technology which is mandatory for all vessels >300 gross tonnage. AIS provides static (e.g., name, size), voyage (e.g., next port, ETA, draught) and dynamic (e.g., position, course, speed) vessel data. We have collected AIS data since 2004 when we installed the first ever nationwide terrestrial AIS network.
Vessel ETA is calculated from ocean carrier vessel schedules, current vessel position, speed, course, and a historic database with more than 300 billion data points. The huge data foundation provides detailed knowledge on port calls (e.g., duration, terminal, anchorage), ocean legs (e.g., route, duration, weather impact), and container events. ETA for the next port, and any future port on the vessel schedule, is calculated using all this data together with a combination of statistics and machine learning.
Are GateHouse Maritime’s data services DCSA compliant?
We unify events from all ocean carriers into eight standard events. This makes integration and interpretation easy. All other events are mapped into an “OTHER” type including the raw event type/text from the carrier. In that way we support both standardization and completeness. Standard events are: {GATE_OUT_EMPTY, GATE_IN_FULL, LOADED, EMBARKED, ARRIVED, DISCHARGED, GATE_OUT_FULL, GATE_IN_EMPTY}.