Development of a Comprehensive Digital Platform for Shipping Brokerage Operations

The client requires a secure, scalable, and comprehensive digital platform to facilitate shipping brokerage services. Current offline processes hinder operational efficiency, real-time communication, and access control. The platform must support role-specific functionalities for charterers, vessel owners, and brokers, including profile management, vessel search, offer negotiations, and secure communication, all within tight project timelines.

A mid-sized logistics company focusing on digital transformation of shipping and freight management processes, connecting charterers with vessel owners through a secure and feature-rich online platform.

• Create an intuitive and secure web and mobile platform to streamline shipping brokerage operations.
• Implement role-specific functionalities for charterers, vessel owners, and internal teams, including profile management and shipment planning tools.
• Develop a multi-stage user verification process to ensure platform security and compliance.
• Enable digital freight offers, negotiations, and deal management within the platform.
• Integrate a custom, safe chatting system for real-time negotiations and updates.
• Implement freight, route, and duration calculation tools to aid logistics planning.
• Ensure high-performance, scalability, and robust security to handle increasing user volume and sensitive data.

• Role-specific user profiles and management for charterers, vessel owners, and administrators.
• Two-step user registration process with third-party identity verification integration.
• Public-facing website with Content Management System (CMS) for marketing and information dissemination.
• Secure and custom-built messaging system supporting negotiations and notifications.
• Digital freight request and deal management including offer, acceptance, rejection, and counteroffer workflows.
• Route planning and freight calculation tools that support complex route creation and cost/time estimations.
• Real-time notifications for deal status updates and system alerts.

• Third-party identity verification service for user verification
• Real-time messaging infrastructure (e.g., WebSocket, MQTT)
• Calculation engines or APIs for freight, route, and duration estimations
• Email and notification services for user alerts

• Platform should support at least 1000 concurrent users with minimal latency
• Data security and compliance with industry standards for sensitive user information
• Highly available and scalable architecture to accommodate growth
• Secure registration and transaction processes with role-based access controls
• Responsive design optimized for web and mobile devices

The new digital platform is expected to significantly improve operational efficiency by streamlining shipping deal negotiations, automating workflow processes, and enabling real-time communication. Estimated outcomes include enhanced user engagement through secure and verified access, increased number of digital deals, and reduced processing times, leading to better market competitiveness and higher customer satisfaction.