Development of an Integrated Shipping Management System with GPS-Based Container Tracking for Post-Discharge Monitoring in Tanzanian Shipping Agencies

Background: Container movement after vessel discharge at Tanzanian ports remains inadequately monitored due to reliance on manual records, phone communication, and fragmented information systems, resulting in limited operational visibility and delayed decision-making. Objectives: This study aimed to develop an integrated Shipping Management System addressing three specific objectives: (i) a cargo clearing and scheduling management system, (ii) a GPS-based container tracking device, and (iii) a container tracking system management dashboard. Methods: Data was collected from 15 respondents across Tanzania Shipping Agencies using structured interviews, direct observation, and document review. The system was developed using the Python Django framework with a PostgreSQL database for software components, and a custom GPS tracking device built with a NodeMCU microcontroller, NEO-6M GPS module, and SIM900D GSM module. The Agile development methodology was adopted to support iterative design and continuous refinement. Results: The findings revealed that 87% of respondents confirmed the absence of real-time container tracking after gate-out, 73% relied on manual phone and WhatsApp-based scheduling, and 100% of managers lacked access to a live dashboard. The developed system achieved a dashboard load time of 2.1 seconds (requirement: under 3 seconds), GPS-to-dashboard data delivery within 3 seconds, support for 20 concurrent users without performance degradation, and a 100% pass rate across 27 test cases spanning unit, integration, system, and user acceptance testing. Conclusion: The developed system demonstrates that an integrated and cost-effective approach combining software and hardware components can significantly improve container movement visibility, operational coordination, and decision-making within shipping agencies operating in developing maritime logistics environments.