The verdict in three sentences
Seafood software in Rotterdam is judged on one test: can you trace any carton back to its catch certificate and cold chain record in under 30 seconds when the NVWA or a retail customer asks. For a trader handling 25 to 50 tonnes a week of imports and re exports, a custom platform built by a Dutch studio typically costs EUR 70,000 to 150,000 over 6 to 9 months. The template below gives every requirement a measurable acceptance criterion, so quotes from different vendors can be compared line by line.
Part 1: context and scope (fill in)
| Section | What to write | Example answer |
|---|---|---|
| Business | Species, origins, customers | Frozen octopus, hake, shrimp from West Africa and Norway; Benelux and German retail |
| Volumes | Tonnes per week, seasonal peaks | 35 t a week, 50 t before Christmas |
| Sites | Cold stores, processing, port terminals | Own cold store in the Waalhaven area, third party reefer storage |
| Users | Roles and headcount | 4 traders, 2 QA staff, 2 logistics, 3 finance, management |
| Existing systems | Current tools | Accounting package, spreadsheets, email based customs brokers |
| Integrations | External systems to connect | Portbase, TRACES, customs broker, temperature loggers |
| Regulatory documents | Per shipment | Catch certificate, health certificate, CMR, packing list |
Part 2: measurable functional requirements
| Module | Requirement | Acceptance criterion |
|---|---|---|
| Inbound | Register lots with vessel, catch area, species, weight | Lot created from supplier data in under 2 minutes |
| Catch certificates | Link each lot to its EU catch certificate reference | 100% of lots blocked from sale without a valid reference |
| Traceability | One lot ID down to carton level | Any carton traced to origin in under 30 seconds |
| Cold chain | Import logger data per cold room and container | Alert if a room exceeds its threshold for more than 15 minutes |
| Inventory | Stock by room, species, size grade and date | Book versus physical variance under 0.5% |
| Port logistics | Container status from the port community system | Status updates without manual entry |
| Health certificates | Prepare data for TRACES submissions | No re keying of lot, weight or origin data |
| Invoicing | Sales invoices with VAT, landed cost per lot | Margin per lot visible on the day of dispatch |
The EU's revised fisheries control rules move catch certificates to the digital CATCH IT system from 2026, so require the vendor to show how lot data maps to those certificate references. The software prepares and links documents; official validation stays with the competent authorities.
Part 3: technical requirements, budget and plan
Technical requirements to include: EU hosting under GDPR, role based access, a full audit trail on lots, daily backups kept 30 days, response times under 2 seconds, open APIs for the customs broker.
| Phase | Duration | Indicative budget EUR |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery and final specification | 3 weeks | 9,000 |
| Inbound lots and catch certificate links | 5 weeks | 18,000 |
| Cold chain logging and alerts | 4 weeks | 14,000 |
| Inventory and order picking | 4 weeks | 15,000 |
| Port and TRACES integrations | 5 weeks | 21,000 |
| Invoicing and dashboards | 3 weeks | 10,000 |
| Acceptance testing and pilot | 4 weeks | 8,000 |
| Total | About 7 months | 95,000 |
These are 2026 estimates for a Dutch studio. A remote team changes the equation: Kolonell builds complex web applications for 4,000,000 to 8,000,000 FCFA (about EUR 6,100 to 12,200) over 3 to 6 months, with maintenance at EUR 115 a month, which can make sense for a first phase covering lots, stock and cold chain.
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Eva, COO of a seafood trading company in Rotterdam, 35 tonnes a week, 70% sold to retail chains that audit traceability twice a year. Her team spends about 8 hours a week matching catch certificates to lots in spreadsheets, and a missing certificate link once froze a 12 tonne container at the border for 9 days.
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At EUR 9 a kilo, that container carried EUR 108,000 of stock, plus about EUR 4,500 of extra reefer and demurrage costs. Cutting matching work from 8 hours to 1 hour a week frees 364 hours a year, about EUR 16,000 at EUR 45 an hour. Against a EUR 95,000 build, the time saving alone pays back in about six years, but a single blocked container avoided, worth EUR 112,500 of stock and fees, covers the whole project.
FAQ
How much does custom seafood traceability software cost in Rotterdam?
Dutch studios typically quote EUR 70,000 to 150,000 in 2026 depending on integrations. A first phase limited to lots, stock and cold chain can start around EUR 40,000.
Does the software issue catch or health certificates?
No, it prepares and links the data while authorities validate the certificates through official systems. The gain is removing re keying, often 6 to 8 hours a week.
Which integrations matter most in Rotterdam?
The port community system for container status, TRACES for health certificates and your temperature loggers. Each integration typically adds EUR 5,000 to 12,000 of work.
How long does the project take?
Plan 6 to 9 months with a local studio, including a 4 week pilot. Starting outside the pre Christmas peak avoids testing under maximum volume.
What makes quotes comparable?
Weekly volumes, the list of documents per shipment and a numeric acceptance criterion for each requirement. With this template, serious quotes usually land within 20% of each other.
Let's scope your project. Send us your completed template or just your volumes and document list, and we will price a phased scope with a realistic timeline. 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.
