River cruise ports in the south and west of the Netherlands, Port of Amsterdam and Must See have launched the app Port See. This app provides up-to-date insight into the accessibility of ports for river cruise ships and what corona measures, if any, apply there.
The corona crisis has effectively shut down the cruise industry. There are some signs of recovery, but the situation still changes on a daily basis. That is why it is important for shipping companies to be able to easily check at any time which ports are open and what measures, if any, apply there. For ports, on the other hand, it is important to be able to update changes in Covid measures quickly.
The Port See app meets this need and is a new platform for the river cruise sector in Europe. The app contains up-to-date data on the accessibility of berths in ports for river cruise ships and which Covid measures apply there. The system is intended for shipping companies, ports, tour operators, cities and city marketing.
‘We see across Europe that the rules in ports for river cruises are different everywhere, even within a country. It is impossible for shipping companies and tour operators to keep track of all the websites of the various port cities. That’s why, together with cruise ports in the south and west of the Netherlands, we have had the Port See system developed,’ says Monic van der Heyden, Commercial Manager Cruise at Port of Amsterdam.
The cruise ports in Europe can add their own data to the app. Users can then easily create a login after which all data of the relevant port will be at their disposal. The app also provides data on measures taken within cities, such as whether museums are open and whether reservations are necessary.
Crowd control
Later this year, the follow-up version of the system will be launched that includes a crowd control function. ‘You will then be able to see in real time where, for example, cities are going to be too busy because of tourism. Shipping companies could choose to skip a city or visit this area at another time,’ says Maikel Coomans of Must See. It is also interesting for shipping companies and tour operators to see the flow of tourists from the river cruise sector.
The app is available on the Port See website.