Find your best cargo opportunities in seconds
Stop cross-referencing spreadsheets. Sedna's Tonnage/Cargo Matching automatically identifies and ranks the best available cargoes for your open position, with route metrics and direct message access all in one screen.
When you select a tonnage record in the Pre-Fixture module, a new Matching Cargoes tab surfaces instantly alongside your existing messages. Opening it triggers an automatic search across all cargo orders, returning a ranked shortlist filtered by capacity, laycan compatibility, and voyage time, powered by Dataloy's routing engine.
When to Use This Feature
Use this feature if you:
- Are a chartering manager or broker managing an open bulk carrier or general cargo vessel and need to identify viable cargo opportunities quickly
- Want to compare voyage times and route metrics (ECA exposure, HRA distance, canal options) across multiple cargoes without leaving Sedna
- Need to review the source cargo message and reply to a counterparty directly from the matching screen
- Want to build a shortlist of cargo candidates and save them to a Workspace for follow-up
This feature may be less relevant if:
- You need to match a cargo to available vessels rather than the other way around — reverse matching is on the roadmap for a future release
- You need freight rate estimation or profitability ranking — matching is operational only and does not include commercial scoring
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Open a tonnage record
In the Pre-Fixture module, select the tonnage record. The Matching Cargoes tab appears automatically alongside Recent Messages in the record view.
Note: The Cargo Match action on the tonnage list is only active when the open position has coordinate data.
Step 2: Review the ranked cargo list
Click the Matching Cargoes tab to run the match. Results appear ranked by shortest estimated ballast leg time. Each result shows route metrics including transit days, total nautical miles, ECA distance, and HRA distance. Only cargoes that pass three filters appear: DWT capacity fit, laycan date compatibility, and route feasibility.
Step 3: Open the full matching screen
Click Cargo Match to open the full Tonnage/Cargo Matching screen. This brings together the ranked cargo list alongside a cargo sidebar containing a map, cargo details, load and discharge port information and the cargo source emails.
Step 4: Explore the map view and route details
Switch to the map view to see a visual overview of available opportunities. Select any cargo to display the ballast leg from the vessel's open position to the load port — ECA legs are highlighted in green, HRA legs in red. Selecting a different cargo redraws the route instantly.
Step 5: Adjust matching parameters
Open the parameters panel to refine your search. Adjust ballast speed, weather factor, maximum ballast days, canal restrictions (Suez, Panama, Kiel), and ECA, HRA, and ice avoidance settings — then re-run the search to update results. Hit refresh to pick up any newly received cargoes matching your open position.
Step 6: Review cargo details, set a status, and add comments
Click any cargo in the list to open the cargo sidebar showing commodity type, quantity, load and discharge port details, and port-to-port distance. Use the status field to mark the cargo (e.g. under consideration, shortlisted, declined) and the comments field to add notes or share context with your team.
Step 7: Reply to a counterparty or save to a Workspace
Use the inline Reply action to respond to the source cargo message without leaving the screen. To save one or more matches for later follow-up, select them and click Add to Workspace — you can add to an existing Workspace or create a new one, pre-populated with the vessel name.
Tip: Use email templates to pre-load your vessel's TC description and insert it into any reply instantly.
Troubleshooting & Common Questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What vessel and cargo types does the matching cover? | The matching covers Bulk Carriers and General Cargo vessels in the dry-cargo segment. Commodity type classification is not yet applied and will be added in a future release. |
| How is the ranked list ordered? | Matches are ranked by shortest estimated ballast leg time. A cargo only appears if it passes three checks: DWT capacity fit, laycan date compatibility (accounting for voyage time), and route feasibility via Dataloy. |
| The Cargo Match button is greyed out — why? | The open position does not have coordinate data. Ensure the tonnage record has a valid open position with coordinates before initiating a match. |
| No results are returned — what should I check? | Check three things: the vessel's open date falls within at least one cargo's laycan window, the vessel's DWT meets the cargo's minimum requirement, and the maximum ballast days setting isn't too restrictive. Widening the ballast days or adjusting the laycan tolerance usually brings results in. |
| Can I save matching results? | Yes — select one or more cargoes and click Add to Workspace to save them to an existing Workspace or create a new one. |
| Are matching results saved between sessions? | No — the match runs each time you open the Matching Cargoes tab and reflects the cargo pool at that moment. Results are not cached between sessions. |
| What happens if a vessel is open in a region rather than a specific port? | The system pins the vessel position to the most representative coordinate in that area for routing calculations. |
Best Practices & Tips
- Start with the default parameters and narrow from there — the 5-day maximum ballast days default is a useful starting filter; widen it only if results are unexpectedly sparse
- Use the status and comments fields as you work through candidates so your team can see your assessment without needing a separate conversation
- Use Add to Workspace to build your shortlist before replying — comparing two or three viable cargoes side by side before engaging a counterparty saves time
- Check the map view for any cargo near an HRA corridor — the route colouring makes risk exposure immediately visible without manual calculation
- If your vessel is open in a range rather than a named port, verify the pinned position reflects a realistic loading scenario before committing to a reply.
Further Support
Need more help with Tonnage/Cargo Matching? Please raise a ticket with our Support Team
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