INTTRA and Porthus Celebrate 30th Customer Connection: Belgium Trade Professionals Reap the Rewards of E-Commerce

March 03, 2008

ANTWERP, BELGIUM, March 3, 2008 - INTTRA and Porthus are celebrating their 30th customer connection as part of a successful four-year alliance that is providing ongoing e-commerce benefits to Belgium shippers and freight forwarders.

INTTRA is a leading global provider of e-commerce solutions to ocean carriers and their customers, with more than 240,000 container orders initiated on the platform per week, representing almost 10 percent of global container trade. Porthus is a leading provider of OnDemand IT services and offers end-to-end supply chain solutions for international trade professionals.

Porthus initiated the connection to INTTRA in early 2004. The organization receives shipping instructions from freight forwarders in the Antwerp area and then transmits these to carriers using the INTTRA platform.  Porthus has now completed over 30 customer integrations to INTTRA with more connections planned.

One of the customers that has benefited from the INTTRA/Porthus connection is POLYTRA N.V., an Antwerp-based transport, engineering and consulting company specializing in the industrial chemical sector. According to Florent Achtergael, POLYTRA N.V. ICT Manager, "as a forwarding company Polytra is the 'go between' in regards to communication between its clients and the carriers. Perfect communication is crucial in our business. Via Porthus, our single point of entry, we are connected to INTTRA and subsequently we can reach numerous important carriers. Hundreds of messages are coming in and out every day. The communication runs smoothly and the support is super. It's a real pleasure to work with INTTRA and with Porthus in this valuable alliance."

Marc Beerlandt, General Manager for the carrier MSC, the Belgium division, points out that as one of the member carriers of INTTRA "MSC enjoys the numerous benefits that being part of the world's leading ocean portal has to offer. At MSC Belgium, we have seen significant improvements in terms of bill of lading accuracy and efficiency thanks to INTTRA, which undoubtedly assists us as we grow our business. The connection between Porthus and INTTRA makes it quick and easy for many of our customers to start sending electronic shipping instructions to MSC via INTTRA. MSC is delighted to work with such a forward-thinking, e-commerce minded company. We look forward to continuing our strong relationship with INTTRA and bringing further customers onboard," he said.

Added Jocelyn Hansen, INTTRA Sales Manager for the UK, Benelux, Germany and Austria, "Porthus was one of the first port community systems to connect to INTTRA. The partnership between Porthus and INTTRA has gone from strength to strength over the last three years, and this hub-to-hub connection has helped to drive efficiency and streamline the transaction process throughout the local Antwerp shipping community. We look forward to expanding the connection between Porthus and INTTRA and continuing our work together to build on the success we've had delivering e-commerce solutions in Belgium."

About INTTRA

INTTRA, founded in 2000 and headquartered in Parsippany, N.J., is a leading global provider of e-commerce solutions to ocean carriers and their customers.  INTTRA professionals work with customers to streamline and standardize their shipping processes, applying their e-commerce knowledge of the shipping industry for customers in markets worldwide.

More than 240,000 container orders are initiated on the INTTRA platform each week, representing almost 10 percent of global ocean container trade.

INTTRA's e-commerce platform offers a comprehensive range of e-commerce tools, including: Tender, Sailing Schedules, Booking, Shipping Instructions, Bill of Lading, Track & Trace, and Reports.  Accessing the INTTRA platform is simple, using any combination of their channel solutions: INTTRA-Link (EDI-based, system-to-system connection), INTTRA-Desktop (off-line PC application), or INTTRA-Act (web-based application).

INTTRA's carrier network includes, Alianca, ANL, CMA CGM, CSAV, CSAV NORASIA, Deutsche Afrika-Linien, Emirates Shipping Line, Hamburg Sud, Hanjin Shipping Co., Hapag-Lloyd, "K" Line, Libra, Maersk Line, MCC Transport Pte Ltd., MISC, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A., NYK Line, Safmarine, Senator Lines, United Arab Shipping Company. 

For further information visit www.inttra.com. Or contact Andy Barrons, INTTRA Vice President of Marketing, at +1.973.263.5100 or email him at: andy.barrons@inttra.com.

INTTRA, the INTTRA logo, INTTRA-LINK, INTTRA-Desktop, INTTRA-ACT are trademarks or registered trademarks, service marks or registered service marks of INTTRA, Inc. All other product and company names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective holders.