Harbor Lab
HarborLab is an AI-powered cloud platform that automates port cost management and Disbursement Account validation for ship owners, operators, charterers, and port agents, covering 1,400 ports with integrated payments and a 4,000+ provider marketplace.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersAthens, Greece
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Harbor Lab does
Harbor Lab S.A. (operating as HarborLab) is an Athens-headquartered maritime technology company that has built an AI-powered, cloud-based platform for managing port costs and validating Disbursement Accounts (DAs) across global shipping operations. Founded in January 2020 by maritime industry veteran Antonis Malaxianakis, the company targets principals — ship owners, vessel operators, charterers, and commercial traders — alongside port agents and service vendors, addressing a workflow historically performed through email, spreadsheets, and manual tariff lookups. The platform combines a core DA validation engine with specialized modules: the Port Cost Estimator (instant cost calculations across 1,400 ports using official tariffs), HL AI (an autonomous disbursement analysis agent that validates and negotiates DA line items), a Payments Solution with FX management (powered by Ebury Partners Belgium NV/SA), a Claims Tool for time-bar tracking, and a Marketplace connecting principals with over 4,000 vetted port service providers. The company's acquired SOFeXchange and DEMeXchange products extend coverage into Statement of Facts digitization and demurrage claims processing.
The underlying technology architecture is built on AWS infrastructure with ISO 27001-aligned security, Auth0 by Okta identity management, and SOC 1 (ISAE 3402) reporting for financial-process assurance. HarborLab exposes APIs that integrate with major maritime ERP and vessel management systems including SAP, Danaos, Veson Nautical, 90poe (OpenOcean STUDIO), Shiplex, and Signal — enabling embedded distribution within shipowners' existing technology stacks. The proprietary dataset accumulated from processing over 35,000 port calls serves as the data flywheel that powers HL AI's tariff validation and benchmarking, with reported outcomes including $700 average savings per port call, 80% reduction in back-office administration, and $8M-$11M annual savings for a 30-vessel fleet.
HarborLab monetizes through annual SaaS subscriptions (quote-based for principals, tiered premium subscriptions for agents and vendors seeking enhanced marketplace visibility) and transaction-based revenue from FX margins on international payment processing. The company serves a roster of enterprise customers including Oldendorff Carriers, Star Bulk Carriers Corp., Eastern Pacific Shipping, The Great Eastern Shipping Co., TMA Bulk, NSB Group, ZEABORN Ship Management, and Swiss Chem Gas, with international offices in Copenhagen, London, Hamburg, Dubai, and Singapore. Total capital raised is $22.1M across a $6.1M seed (2022) and $16M Series A led by Atomico (2024).
Harbor Lab firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Harbor Lab
- Legal name
- Harbor Lab S.A.
- Website
- https://harborlab.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- HarborLab is an AI-powered cloud platform that automates port cost management and Disbursement Account validation for ship owners, operators, charterers, and port agents, covering 1,400 ports with integrated payments and a 4,000+ provider marketplace.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Harbor Lab industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Maritime Port Cost Management Software
- NAICS
- Port and Harbor Operations (488310)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Processing & Data Preparation (7374)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Port Operations Control Center / Port Call Orchestration (TLAHAFAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cargo Visibility, Track & Trace & Port Analytics (ETA/ETD, Dwell, Predictive) (TLAHAOAH), Port Data Exchange / Data Space & Master Data Management (MDM) (TLAHAOAO)
Keywords
Where Harbor Lab is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Athens
- HQ country
- Greece
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices6 records
Markets served
Harbor Lab business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- SaaS Platform Subscription: Subscription-based access to the HarborLab platform for principals (ship owners, operators, traders) to manage port costs, validate DAs, and optimize disbursement processes. Pricing likely tiered based on fleet size or usage volume.
- Premium Agent/Vendor Tiers: Premium agent subscriptions offering exclusive benefits such as autofill capabilities, promoted directory listings, and reporting suites. Generates recurring revenue from service provider segment.
- Payment Processing & FX: Revenue generated through FX margins on international payment processing for port expenses. Partnership with Ebury Partners Belgium NV/SA for payment and currency exchange services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Platform access for principals (ship owners/operators) |
| Subscription | Annual | Premium Agent tier for enhanced visibility |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Harbor Lab product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Harbor Lab provides an AI-powered, cloud-based SaaS platform for the maritime industry that automates port cost management and disbursement account (DA) analysis. The platform enables ship owners, operators, charterers, and port agents to validate DAs, benchmark port costs across approximately 1,400 ports, manage FX payments, and process claims. It serves as an end-to-end solution covering cost estimation, validation, approval workflows, payments, and post-fixture claims digitization.
Product overview
HarborLab is an AI-powered, end-to-end port cost management platform for the maritime industry, built as a unified platform-plus-modules architecture. The core platform provides seamless disbursement account analysis across every port call, augmented by specialized modules including the Port Cost Estimator for instant port cost calculations, HL AI (the First AI Disbursement Agent) for autonomous DA validation, the Payments Solution for FX management, the Claims Tool for time-bar tracking, and the Marketplace connecting principals with over 4,000 port service providers. The platform also includes acquired products SoF Exchange and DEMeXchange for Statement of Facts and demurrage claim digitization. HarborLab Academy provides structured training for DA analysis. Solutions are tailored for both Principals (ship owners, operators, charterers) and Agents & Vendors, with API integration capabilities for major ERP and VMS systems.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- HarborLab Core Platform AI-powered, end-to-end port call and port cost management platform providing seamless disbursement account analysis across every port call. Structures DA data, detects discrepancies, and benchmarks costs across ports and agents worldwide for ship owners, operators, charterers, and port agents.
- SoF Exchange Acquired standalone product focused on digitising Statement of Facts (SoF) processes for the maritime industry, supporting post-fixture operations documentation and exchange.
- DEMeXchange Acquired standalone product focused on digitising demurrage claim processes for the maritime industry, supporting post-fixture claims handling and exchange between counterparties.
- HarborLab Academy Structured training curriculum and certification program focused on charter party clauses governing disbursement accounts, DA checking methodology, tariff fundamentals, and husbandry expense allocation. Targets maritime professionals and shipping companies seeking formal DA training.
Quantifiable outcome
- 80% reduction in back-office administration
- +8 more outcomes
Companies that use Harbor Lab
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Harbor Lab technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
AI capability6 records
Feature6 records
Harbor Lab partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- Lloyd's Maritime Institute (LMI)corePartnership to launch Disbursement Accounts Training globally. HarborLab Academy and LMI will develop joint Digital Assurance online training programmes and distribute Academy content globally via LMI's established platforms. Combines HarborLab's subject-matter expertise with LMI's international training infrastructure.
- Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS)flagshipStrategic partnership with one of the world's largest privately-owned shipping companies headquartered in Singapore. EPS has achieved significant efficiency gains and measurable cost savings by centralizing DA management and enabling real-time expense verification. HarborLab's solution has empowered EPS to streamline coordination across operations, accounting, and husbandry disbursement teams.
- University of PiraeuscoreCollaboration with the MSc in Marine Science and Technology Management to strengthen connection between academic community and maritime industry. HarborLab Academy participates in educational activities, executives conduct lectures, and scholarships are offered for thesis work related to disbursement accounts.
- NSB GroupflagshipPartnership announced to improve operational efficiency for NSB Group's crewing operations through HarborLab's disbursement management platform.
- ZEABORN Ship ManagementflagshipZEABORN Ship Management incorporates Harbor Lab's e-disbursement software and agents' directory into its systems for port cost management.
- Veson NauticalcoreSeamless integration enables shipowners and ship managers to increase their database through HarborLab platform connectivity.
- DanaoscoreDanaos Management Consultants S.A., a global leader in maritime ERP solutions, has integrated with HarborLab to empower vessel operators to optimize their operations and port cost management.
- 90poecoreIntegration of OpenOcean STUDIO platform with HarborLab delivers innovative and efficient solutions for the industry.
- SAPcoreHarborLab integrates with the world's leading cloud ERP providing industry best practices and helping build and grow businesses.
- Ebury Partners Belgium NV/SAcoreHarborLab's payment and foreign currency exchange services are provided by Ebury Partners Belgium NV/SA, authorized and regulated by the National Bank of Belgium as a Payment Institution.
Scale indicators16 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Harbor Lab competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Veson Nautical: Provider of voyage management software (VMS) used by shipowners and operators for voyage planning, freight and DA management. One of the most established platforms in commercial shipping software; HarborLab integrates with Veson and is a comparable solution for port cost/disbursement workflows.
- MarineXchange (ShipServ): E-procurement and disbursement-account platform for the maritime industry, connecting ship operators with port agents and suppliers. Directly competes with HarborLab in the DA management and port service provider marketplace categories.
- Signal Group (Signal Ocean): Maritime data and analytics platform covering vessel tracking, commercial evaluations, and port call information. Signal is also an existing investor in HarborLab (per funding rounds), and both companies target shipowner/operator decision-making with data-rich SaaS — overlapping strongly in port cost intelligence and analytics.
- Portchain: Cloud-based port call operations platform offering berth planning, just-in-time arrival, and port call optimization for container terminals and shipping lines. Directly comparable to HarborLab in the port-call orchestration and digitalization category, though Portchain focuses on the schedule/operations side rather than DA cost validation.
- IMOS (Veson IMOS): Voyage management system (now part of Veson Nautical) widely used by ship operators for voyage P&L, port cost management, and disbursement accounting. HarborLab's Port Cost Estimator integrates with IMOS Voyage Calculator, evidencing direct overlap in the cost-estimation and DA workflows that HarborLab addresses.
Emerging players
- Kpler: Data and analytics platform providing visibility into commodity flows, shipping movements, and freight intelligence. While Kpler focuses on trade-flow intelligence, its expanding SaaS for shipping counterparties overlaps thematically with HarborLab's data-driven port cost and vendor benchmarking offerings.
- ZeroNorth: Maritime optimization SaaS combining vessel performance, voyage optimization, and emissions/compliance for shipowners. Comparable in customer base (shipowners/operators), AI/SaaS GTM motion, and integration with maritime ERPs, though focused on vessel performance rather than DA/port cost management.
- Nautilus Labs: AI-driven vessel performance and voyage optimization platform for commercial shipping fleets. Comparable in target customer (shipowners/operators), AI/data-centric SaaS positioning, and outcome-based ROI framing; distinct in focusing on vessel performance rather than port cost/DA.
Broad incumbents
- Ocean Technologies Group (OTG): Broader maritime software and training provider covering crewing, e-learning, and operational software for shipping companies. Comparable in targeting shipowner/operator buyers with mission-critical workflow software; broader scope than HarborLab's port cost/DA focus.
- StormGeo: Maritime routing, weather routing, and fleet performance software serving commercial shipping fleets. Overlaps thematically with HarborLab in serving shipowner/operator decision-support and port call planning workflows, but at a broader fleet-performance level rather than DA validation.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Harbor Lab social profiles
Digital presenceHarbor Lab compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Harbor Lab financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Harbor Lab leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Harbor Lab subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Harbor Lab funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors12 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Harbor Lab M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Harbor Lab
What does Harbor Lab do?
Harbor Lab provides an AI-powered, cloud-based SaaS platform for the maritime industry that automates port cost management and disbursement account (DA) analysis. The platform enables ship owners, operators, charterers, and port agents to validate DAs, benchmark port costs across approximately 1,400 ports, manage FX payments, and process claims. It serves as an end-to-end solution covering cost estimation, validation, approval workflows, payments, and post-fixture claims digitization.
Is Harbor Lab a public or private company?
Harbor Lab is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Harbor Lab founded?
Harbor Lab was founded in 2020. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Harbor Lab based?
Harbor Lab is headquartered in Athens, Greece, in the Europe region.
How does Harbor Lab make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. SaaS Platform Subscription is the primary driver. The others are premium Agent/Vendor Tiers and payment Processing & FX.
Who are Harbor Lab's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Veson Nautical, MarineXchange (ShipServ), Signal Group (Signal Ocean), Portchain and IMOS (Veson IMOS). Emerging players are Kpler, ZeroNorth and Nautilus Labs. Broad incumbents are Ocean Technologies Group (OTG) and StormGeo.
Does Harbor Lab have an API?
Yes. Full API integration with Major ERP & VMS is mentioned as a feature in the Solutions for Principals page. The platform supports API integration for streamline reporting and automation with a centralized platform.
What industry is Harbor Lab in?
Harbor Lab's product category is Maritime Port Cost Management Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAHAFAI, Port Operations Control Center / Port Call Orchestration, with a secondary code of TLAHAOAH, Cargo Visibility, Track & Trace & Port Analytics (ETA/ETD, Dwell, Predictive). Its NAICS code is 488310 and its SIC code is 7374.