The verdict in three sentences
A shipping agency handling 250 port calls a year in Lomé for 6 shipowners with Excel-based proformas and disbursements ties up cash and frustrates principals with every late closing. A custom port agency software costs between 18 and 35 million FCFA in 2026 (about 27,000 to 53,000 EUR), versus 1,500 to 4,000 USD per month for an international platform. The main gain: closing a port call drops from 15 to 4 days, which speeds up recovery of advances and protects the shipowner relationship.
Why Excel no longer works for a Lomé shipping agent
The port of Lomé, West Africa's leading container transshipment port, runs at a steady pace: vessel arrival, pilotage, towage, port dues, stevedoring, customs documents, supplies, then the final disbursement account (FDA) for the shipowner. In Excel, each call lives in a separate file, port authority and supplier tariffs are re-keyed by hand, and gaps between proforma (PDA) and actuals surface only at invoicing.
| Port call step | In Excel (typical) | With dedicated software |
|---|---|---|
| Proforma disbursement account (PDA) | 2 to 4 h per call, tariffs copied | 20 minutes, tariffs updated automatically |
| Funds request to the shipowner | Manual email, forgotten follow-ups | Automatic sending with tracking link |
| Call tracking (ETA, ETB, ETD) | Scattered WhatsApp messages | Shared dashboard, time-stamped history |
| Collecting supplier invoices | Paper, lost documents | Scanned and attached to the call |
| Final disbursement account (FDA) | 10 to 15 days after departure | 3 to 4 days after departure |
| Billing in USD and FCFA | Exchange rate typed by hand | Daily BCEAO rate, native dual currency |
What each option costs in 2026
| Option | Upfront cost | Annual cost | Watch points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Excel + messaging | 0 FCFA | 0 FCFA (hidden cost in time and disputes) | Disbursement errors, slow closings |
| International port call platform | 1 to 3 million FCFA (setup) | 1,500 to 4,000 USD per month, about 11 to 29 million FCFA per year | Togolese tariffs and local customs documents poorly covered |
| Kolonell custom software | 18 to 35 million FCFA | 3 to 5.4 million FCFA (maintenance 250,000 to 450,000 FCFA per month) | Port tariffs, customs, dual currency, code ownership |
| Custom delivery timeline | 4 to 6 months | n/a | Phase 1 (PDA, calls, FDA) in 12 weeks |
| 3-year cost, international platform | about 34 to 90 million FCFA | n/a | Billed in dollars, exposed to FX |
| 3-year cost, custom | about 27 to 51 million FCFA | n/a | No per-user licence |
Dollar amounts are converted at about 600 FCFA per USD, a 2026 estimate.
Must-have modules
Useful port agency software in Lomé covers the full call cycle without piling on unnecessary features.
- Tariffs: port dues, pilotage, towage, mooring, agency fees, updated by the team without a developer.
- PDA and FDA in the format shipowners expect, with automatic proforma versus actual comparison and variance notes.
- Funds advances: amounts received, balance due and automatic reminders.
- Documents: manifest, bills of lading, customs declarations, attached to each call.
- Shipowner portal: read access to call status and supporting documents.
- Accounting: export to your accounting software in the SYSCOHADA chart of accounts.
Mini case study
Kossi runs a shipping agency in Lomé (250 calls a year for 6 shipowners). He advances on average 25 million FCFA in disbursements per call and waits for the balance after the FDA is closed. Going from 15 to 4 days to close, he gains 11 days of cash. With an average balance of 8 million FCFA per call and about 7 calls open at once, he frees up roughly 56 million FCFA of working capital, close to 6.7 million FCFA in yearly interest saved at 12%. He also saves 2.5 h of data entry per call, or 625 hours a year, about 5 million FCFA of loaded staff time at 8,000 FCFA per hour. Net annual gain after maintenance: about 8 million FCFA. With software at 26 million FCFA, payback takes about 3 years, faster if an extra shipowner signs thanks to better FDAs.
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FAQ
Does the software handle billing in dollars and FCFA?
Yes. Each call can be billed in USD to the shipowner and in FCFA to local suppliers, with the daily rate recorded. FX differences are tracked line by line.
How long to go live with the PDA and FDA module?
The first phase (tariffs, PDA, call tracking, FDA) is delivered in about 12 weeks. The customs documents and shipowner portal modules follow in 6 to 10 weeks.
Can we import our Excel call history?
Yes, we usually migrate the last 2 to 3 years of calls to keep references and per-shipowner statistics. Migration takes 1 to 2 weeks.
Can shipowners view the call in real time?
Yes, through a secure portal with one account per shipowner. They see status, supporting documents and balance, which cuts follow-up emails by about 50%.
What maintenance cost should we plan for?
Between 250,000 and 450,000 FCFA per month depending on hosting and volume, including backups, fixes and support. Major changes are quoted separately.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your call volume, shipowners and current tools: we will price a scope between 18 and 35 million FCFA with a first phase in 12 weeks. 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.
