StormGeo acquires Portchain to connect voyage and berth planning
StormGeo, the maritime weather intelligence and voyage optimisation business owned by Alfa Laval, has acquired Danish technology company Portchain, expanding its digital offering to include real-time coordination between container carriers and terminal operators.
The acquisition was completed on 30 October 2026, bringing Copenhagen-based Portchain into StormGeo’s business. The companies did not disclose the financial terms of the transaction.
Portchain provides digital platforms connecting shipping lines with container terminals through shared operational information. Its Portchain Connect system supports coordination of vessel schedules and cargo volumes, while Portchain Quay provides tools for berth allocation, crane deployment and workforce planning.
According to the companies, the Portchain Network connects carriers with more than 200 container terminals, representing over 40% of global container terminal capacity.
The acquisition will bring these capabilities alongside StormGeo’s Voyage Intelligence platform, which provides weather routing, voyage optimisation and vessel performance information.
Linking vessel speed with terminal availability
The companies intend to develop an integrated approach to Just-in-Time vessel arrivals by connecting voyage planning decisions with updated information about terminal readiness.
Under the proposed integration, changes in expected berthing times could be communicated to vessel operators while ships are still at sea, allowing them to reassess sailing speed and arrival schedules.
The approach is intended to improve alignment between estimated time of arrival (ETA) and estimated time of berthing (ETB), potentially reducing unnecessary waiting at anchor and associated fuel consumption.
Updated vessel arrival information could also support terminal operators in planning berth availability, crane assignments and workforce requirements.
Kim Hedegaard Sørensen, Business Unit President at StormGeo, said combining weather and voyage intelligence with information from ports and terminals would support more coordinated operational decisions.
Niels Kristiansen, Chief Executive Officer of Portchain, said joining StormGeo would bring voyage optimisation and port call coordination closer together, with Alfa Laval’s international presence providing opportunities to expand the technology’s reach.
Portchain to retain independent operations initially
Under the announced integration plan, Portchain will continue operating as an independent company within StormGeo for the next few years before being fully integrated into the wider StormGeo portfolio.
The companies stated that existing Portchain customers will experience no interruption to their services, while the combined offering will be made available through StormGeo.
The acquisition extends Alfa Laval’s maritime digital technology activities by combining voyage optimisation with operational data from container terminals.
While the companies have outlined their intended integration, they have not disclosed a timetable for the release of specific combined products or quantified the expected operational savings from the acquisition.
