The verdict in three sentences
A forwarder handling 900 files a month through Rotterdam and Amsterdam with Excel, email and the customs declaration system loses money on two fronts: demurrage and storage charges that run during lost days and disbursements forgotten at invoicing. Custom business software, between EUR 23,000 and 61,000 (15 to 40 million FCFA), brings average clearance time from 6 to 4 days and frees 3 customs declarants from re-entry. Payback is counted in months, provided data exchange with the customs system and the port community system is scoped from day one.
Where time and money go today
Dutch customs runs declarations through its national system (DMS), and the port community system Portbase handles notifications at the terminals. But everything around them, opening the file, collecting documents, tracking the container at the terminal, calculating charges and invoicing the customer, is often done by hand. Every day of delay costs storage and demurrage billed by the terminal and the carrier.
| Item | Today (Excel + customs system) | With business software (2026 estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| Average clearance time | 6 days | 4 days |
| Storage and demurrage per late 40-ft container | EUR 90 to 230 per day | Avoided days not billed |
| Re-entering data into the customs system | 25 to 35 min per file | 5 to 10 min (pre-filled) |
| Disbursements not recharged | 2 to 4% of total | Under 0.5% |
| Time to issue the customer invoice | 8 to 15 days after release | 1 to 2 days |
| Customer visibility on the file | Calls and emails | Portal and SMS notifications |
Across 900 monthly files, 25 minutes of re-entry saved equals 375 hours a month, the time of 2 to 3 declarants.
Modules and their cost
| Module | Content | Indicative 2026 budget |
|---|---|---|
| Forwarding files | Opening, documents (B/L, invoice, certificate of origin), status | EUR 4,600 to 9,100 |
| Customs and Portbase data exchange | Pre-filled declarations, status retrieval | EUR 6,100 to 15,200 |
| Container tracking | Vessel arrival, availability, terminal release, free time | EUR 3,800 to 7,600 |
| Storage charge calculation | Alerts before free time ends | EUR 2,300 to 5,300 |
| Invoicing and disbursements | Duties and VAT, terminal fees, service fees | EUR 4,600 to 10,700 |
| Customer portal and notifications | Online tracking, SMS, downloadable documents | EUR 3,000 to 8,400 |
| Management dashboards | Margin per customer, time per customs procedure | EUR 1,500 to 4,600 |
A focused first phase (files, invoicing, free-time alerts) starts around EUR 23,000. The full version with deep integration and a customer portal reaches EUR 46,000 to 61,000.
Off-the-shelf suite or custom build
| Criterion | International forwarding suite | Custom software |
|---|---|---|
| Entry cost | EUR 12,000 to 30,000 | EUR 23,000 to 61,000 |
| Annual subscription | EUR 9,000 to 23,000 | EUR 3,800 to 7,600 (maintenance) |
| Fit with your customs and port flows | Generic | Designed for them |
| Disbursements and your pricing rules | Heavy configuration | Native |
| Support in your time zone | Variable | Yes |
| Ownership of data and code | Vendor | You |
Mini case study
Pieter runs a 28-person forwarder in Amsterdam, 900 files a month. In 2025, 120 containers a month exceeded free time by 2 days on average, at EUR 120 per day, or EUR 28,800 a month in charges that were hard to recharge and often absorbed. Unrecharged disbursements were 3% of EUR 90,000 monthly disbursements, or EUR 2,700. He invests EUR 43,000 in software with free-time alerts and disbursement invoicing. If half the overrun days are avoided and lost disbursements fall to 0.5%, he recovers about EUR 16,650 a month: payback in under 3 months, without counting 3 declarants moved to new accounts.
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FAQ
Can the software submit declarations directly to customs?
It depends on the system-to-system access your company is certified for. At a minimum, the software prepares pre-filled data that cuts entry from 30 to under 10 minutes per file.
How long does it take to go live?
Budget 3 to 5 months for a first phase at EUR 23,000, 6 to 9 months for the full version. Launch preferably outside the year-end peak.
How do I avoid storage and demurrage charges?
The software calculates each container's free-time deadline and alerts the declarant 48 h before. With 120 containers overrunning each month, every day avoided is worth EUR 90 to 230 per container.
Can customers track their files online?
Yes, through a portal and SMS at each step, which cuts tracking calls by 40 to 60%. Online invoice payment can be added.
What maintenance should I plan for?
About 10 to 15% of the initial cost per year, or EUR 3,800 to 7,600, including hosting and minor regulatory updates.
Let's scope your project. Send us your monthly file volume, your main customs procedures and your current tools: we will price a high-return first phase with a week-by-week plan and a calculation of storage charges avoided. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
