HarborLab futureproofs port cost management with AI integration

HarborLab announced a groundbreaking expansion of its artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, embedding AI across the full port call and disbursement account (DA) management process. The move is intended to reduce administrative complexity, increase transparency, efficiency, and improve cost control for vessel operators and ship managers worldwide.

“Disbursement management has remained largely manual and highly fragmented for decades” said Antonis Malaxianakis, Founder & CEO of HarborLab. “By integrating AI at every stage of the process, we’re helping vessel operators proactively identify discrepancies, standardize costs, and reduce routine administrative work — bringing much-needed predictability and control to port cost management.”

 Automating complexity across the port call lifecycle

 Port cost management continues to be one of the more opaque and labour-intensive areas of maritime operations. HarborLab’s AI is now applied from the moment disbursement documents are received, automatically scanning, interpreting, and validating Statements of Facts and Final Disbursement Accounts. The system extracts data from PDF attachments, identifies vouchers and invoices, and accurately matches costs to the appropriate expense lines within the DA.

Where inconsistencies or deviations from agreed tariffs emerge, the AI system flags these items for operator review. Additionally, it can initiate negotiation workflows, generating draft communication to engage with agents or service providers where charges fall outside expected ranges.

Language differences, local port tariff variations, and complex husbandry service structures are also addressed through AI-powered translation and standardized calculations, providing operators with immediate clarity across port locations.

Building predictive capabilities through continuous learning

 As the system processes growing volumes of Statements of Facts, it feeds predictive algorithms that enhance port time estimations, simulate potential delays, refine demurrage exposure calculations, and sharpen cost forecasting models with each completed voyage. AI-powered benchmarking further compares DA expenses against a broad database of historical port call data, helping operators detect unusual charges and cost outliers that might otherwise go unnoticed.

The result is a fully intelligent port cost management ecosystem where administrative work is minimised, financial risk is reduced, and operators gain unprecedented control over both voyage planning and disbursement outcomes.

HarborLab’s latest technical developments are part of its longer-term vision for a fully autonomous DA management model, where routine administrative tasks are increasingly automated, and shipping companies retain full control over DA processes without dependence on third-party intermediaries.

“The ultimate goal is to provide shipping companies with the tools to independently manage their port call costs with greater confidence, accuracy, and speed,” Malaxianakis added. “By embedding AI directly into core workflows, we are laying the groundwork for a new level of transparency in commercial port operations.”

HarborLab’s AI-powered platform is currently used by a growing number of shipping companies worldwide, processing thousands of port calls annually.