Container depot software that bills every line for every box, from gate in to gate out
A depot lives on gate moves, storage days and approved repairs — and on the shipping line paying for them. CargoSurge reads the container number at the gate, prints the EIR, finds a slot, sends the estimate to the line, and puts every move on the line's monthly invoice with the detail behind each total.
For empty depots first; laden yards and container freight stations on the same foundation.
The depot board — what came in, what left, what is waiting on a line's approval
Gate in and gate out
The number is read at the gate and the EIR is in the driver's hand before he leaves
Photograph the box or type its number; a misread is refused before it reaches the yard. The system finds the line's pre-advice, records the truck, driver, seal and photos, prints or emails the equipment interchange receipt, and suggests a slot: same size per stack, never a 40 on a 20, reefers only where there is a plug.
- Pre-advice per line: numbers or a count per size
- Boxes arriving without one: accept and flag, or refuse — your choice per yard
- Release order checked at gate out, with the box's grade and any hold
Survey, estimate, repair
Estimates the line approves in its portal, with the margin on each repair known
Record each damage on the standard code set, price labour at that line's rate plus materials, and send it. Estimates under the line's limit are approved automatically; the rest wait for a click in the line's portal. The repair becomes a job, the re-survey closes it, and the materials bill from your supplier is tagged to the estimate.
- Approved fully, partly or rejected — line by line
- Wash and reefer pre-trip checks on the same job list
- Subcontracted labour as a supplier bill against the job
Storage and lift billing
Every move, storage day and repair on the line's invoice, priced by that line's tariff
Lift on and lift off per move and size, storage per day after the line's free days, approved repairs, wash, pre-trip checks and plug days. Who pays is set per event — the line, the haulier or the consignee — and a haulier paying at the gate counter gets a receipt before the box is released.
- Monthly invoice per line with the movement detail behind each total
- Cash or card at the gate for lift-on and lift-off
- VAT codes chosen from your list, never typed
Reports and EDI with the lines
The daily stock report every line expects, and gate moves sent to them automatically
Each line gets its stock by size, grade and condition, the day's movements and dwell time — in a spreadsheet by email, or as EDI messages exchanged with the line's own system for gate moves and estimates. Two lines are connected on Depot, five on Depot Plus, more as add-ons.
- Estimates waiting for approval and repair turnaround
- Slot usage per block
- Messages checked and resent from one console
The line's own portal
Lines and lessors see their boxes, EIRs and photos, and approve estimates without a phone call
Each line sees only its own stock: every box with its grade and condition, the EIR and photos from each gate visit, estimates to approve, and the invoices with the movement detail behind them.
- Release orders raised by the line, picked by the depot
- Reefer temperature readings per day
- Statements and payments in the line's currency
How a box moves through the depot
- 1
Pre-advice
The line says what is coming back
- 2
Gate in
Number read, EIR printed, slot suggested
- 3
Survey
Condition and damage on the standard codes
- 4
Estimate
Sent to the line; approved in its portal
- 5
Repair & wash
Jobs for the yard crew, materials billed
- 6
Available
Graded, stacked by line and grade
- 7
Release order
Oldest matching boxes picked first
- 8
Gate out
Order, grade and holds checked; EIR issued
Key features
Block, bay, row and tier
Stacks drawn in the layout designer, tier limits per block, reefer plug slots marked.
Moves to reach a box
Before you pick a box the system shows how many others must be moved to get to it.
Reefers
Pre-trip check result, plug in and plug out times, daily temperature readings.
Equipment register
Reach stackers and handlers with hours and service due; fuel and servicing as supplier bills against the machine.
Holds and release
A hold blocks release; only an approver lifts it, and every lift is recorded.
Phones in the yard
The gate and the survey run on a phone: photo for the number, typing as the fallback.
Questions depot operators ask
Do I need the rest of the ERP to run a depot?
No. The depot plan is the yard with its own invoicing, supplier bills, bank and VAT return, the line's portal and reports. Road transport, HR or CRM can be added later without moving any data.
What if a box arrives without a pre-advice?
Each yard decides: accept it and flag it for the line, or refuse it at the gate.
Can my lines approve estimates themselves?
Yes, in their portal. Estimates under the limit you set per line are approved automatically.
Does it handle laden boxes?
Empty depots first. Laden yards, with customs holds and delivery orders, and container freight stations are built on the same foundation.
See your gate run on a phone
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