Portchain acquisition strengthens StormGeo’s offering

StormGeo, part of Alfa Laval, has acquired Copenhagen-based Portchain, strengthening its digital capabilities by integrating port call coordination with voyage optimisation to improve maritime efficiency and reduce emissions.

The acquisition, completed on 30 October 2026, brings Portchain’s berth alignment technology into StormGeo’s Voyage Intelligence platform, laying the groundwork for large-scale just-in-time voyage optimisation.

Portchain connects shipping lines and terminals through shared operational data. Its Portchain Connect platform enables digital alignment of vessel schedules and cargo volumes, while Portchain Quay supports real-time berth, crane and workforce planning. Its network currently connects shipping lines with more than 200 terminals, representing over 40% of global container terminal capacity.

Combining these capabilities with StormGeo’s weather intelligence, voyage optimisation and vessel-performance insights will enable operators to link route and speed decisions with changing berth availability and terminal plans.

A revised expected berth time, for example, could trigger adjustments to a vessel’s speed while it is still at sea, helping align its estimated time of arrival with its estimated time of berthing. More accurate arrival information will also help terminals coordinate resources.

Kim Hedegaard Sørensen, business unit president at StormGeo, said: “Maritime decarbonisation calls for more than optimising individual parts of an operation. It requires making efficiency more connected and actionable for our customers.”

He added that combining weather and voyage insights with current port information would help customers improve efficiency from sea to port and advance environmental goals.

Portchain chief executive Niels Kristiansen said joining StormGeo offered an opportunity to bring voyage optimisation and port coordination closer together. “Alfa Laval’s global reach gives us a strong platform to bring these capabilities to more customers and extend their benefits across the entire maritime industry,” he said.

Portchain will initially operate independently under StormGeo, with full integration planned for a later stage. The companies say existing customers will experience no disruption to services.