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Maritime · head to head

Harbour Assist vs MDS Transmodal

Harbour Assist logo

Harbour Assist

Maritime

Marina, harbour and boatyard management software for United Kingdom and European operators

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
MDS Transmodal logo

MDS Transmodal

Maritime

Freight transport data and analysis

From
$600/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Harbour Assist no pricing is published, and the mandatory setup and data migration fee means the first-year cost is materially above the recurring subscription, which is easy to miss when budgeting.; MDS Transmodal no pricing published on website, consulting-based engagement only
  • They diverge on capability: Harbour Assist covers Berth and mooring management, MDS Transmodal covers Container trade data.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Harbour Assist and MDS Transmodal actually diverge.

Attributes where Harbour Assist and MDS Transmodal differ
AttributeHarbour AssistMDS Transmodal
Starting priceOn request$600/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb
FoundedUnknown1988

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Maritime).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Harbour Assist

  • Berth and mooring management
  • Contracts and licences
  • Recurring invoicing
  • Customer portal
  • Boatyard work orders
  • Team tasking
  • Online reservations
  • Reporting

Only in MDS Transmodal

  • Container trade data
  • Port statistics
  • Intermodal analysis
  • Custom research
  • Data exports
  • Custom reports
  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Harbour Assist

  • A trust port managing several hundred moorings with annual licence renewals and arrears chasingnot MDS Transmodal
  • A sailing club combining membership, berthing and bar accounts under one customer recordnot MDS Transmodal
  • A boatyard scheduling lifts and winter storage alongside berth contractsnot MDS Transmodal
  • A harbour office cutting phone traffic by moving invoice payment and service requests to a customer portalnot MDS Transmodal

MDS Transmodal

  • Transport market feasibility studies and demand forecasting for new opportunitiesnot Harbour Assist
  • Infrastructure planning and transport network capacity analysisnot Harbour Assist
  • Due diligence and risk assessment for freight investment decisionsnot Harbour Assist
  • Freight sector policy analysis and regulatory impact evaluationnot Harbour Assist
  • Quantitative modeling across maritime, rail, road, and logisticsnot Harbour Assist

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Harbour Assist

  • No pricing is published, and the mandatory setup and data migration fee means the first-year cost is materially above the recurring subscription, which is easy to miss when budgeting.
  • The vendor explicitly does not discount, so a small harbour has no negotiating room even when the entry point is a stretch for its budget.
  • Ownership by ClearCourse, a private-equity-backed consolidator of vertical software, brings the pricing and roadmap risks that come with that model, and buyers should ask about uplift terms before committing.
  • It is built for United Kingdom and Irish harbour practice, so an operator elsewhere gets a system full of concepts that do not match local regulation.
  • There is no marketplace or booking demand attached, so unlike Dockwa it fills no berths for you; visitor income still depends on your own marketing.

MDS Transmodal

  • No pricing published on website, consulting-based engagement only
  • Requires direct contact and negotiation for each project engagement
  • Results and services dependent on consultant experience and proprietary databases
  • Not a self-service platform, requires human expertise and custom analysis

Pricing, plan by plan

Harbour Assist

On request
  • Harbour Assist$undefined/month
    • Quoted by size and complexity of the operation
    • Directory listings place the entry point near GBP 400 per month
    • Mandatory setup and installation fee covering customisation, data migration and training

MDS Transmodal

$600/month
  • Data Access$1200/month
    • Container data
    • Port statistics
    • Trade flows

Which should you pick?

Choose Harbour Assist if

  • You need berth and mooring management.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want contracts and licences.
Harbour Assist review

Choose MDS Transmodal if

  • You need container trade data.
  • You also want port statistics.
MDS Transmodal review

Questions people ask

Is Harbour Assist or MDS Transmodal better?
Neither clearly leads. Harbour Assist starts at On request and MDS Transmodal at $600/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Harbour Assist or MDS Transmodal?
Harbour Assist starts at On request and MDS Transmodal at $600/month.
Does Harbour Assist or MDS Transmodal run on more platforms?
Harbour Assist runs on Web, iOS, Android. MDS Transmodal runs on Web.
What is Harbour Assist best used for?
Harbour Assist is most often used for a trust port managing several hundred moorings with annual licence renewals and arrears chasing, a sailing club combining membership, berthing and bar accounts under one customer record, a boatyard scheduling lifts and winter storage alongside berth contracts, a harbour office cutting phone traffic by moving invoice payment and service requests to a customer portal. Of those, a trust port managing several hundred moorings with annual licence renewals and arrears chasing and a sailing club combining membership, berthing and bar accounts under one customer record are not what MDS Transmodal is typically brought in for.
What can Harbour Assist do that MDS Transmodal cannot?
Harbour Assist covers Berth and mooring management, Contracts and licences, Recurring invoicing, Customer portal. MDS Transmodal covers Container trade data, Port statistics, Intermodal analysis, Custom research.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Harbour Assist: How much does Harbour Assist cost?

It is quoted by size and complexity. Directory listings put the entry point near 400 pounds a month, and every client also pays a setup fee for customisation, migration and training.

MDS Transmodal: How much does MDS Transmodal cost?

MDS Transmodal does not publish pricing on its website. It is a consulting firm providing bespoke strategic advice. Pricing is quote-based and depends on project scope, duration, data requirements, and consultant time allocation. Contact them directly to discuss your specific transport economics needs.

Source
Harbour Assist: Does it bring visitor bookings?

No. It takes online visitor reservations through your own website but has no consumer marketplace, so demand generation remains your responsibility.

MDS Transmodal: Does MDS Transmodal offer a software platform or only consulting?

MDS Transmodal is primarily a transport economics consulting firm, not a software vendor. They provide strategic consulting, quantitative analysis, and modeling services. While they maintain proprietary databases and models, they do not offer a self-service software platform.

Source
Harbour Assist: Who owns it?

ClearCourse, a private-equity-backed group that acquires vertical software businesses in the United Kingdom.

MDS Transmodal: Does MDS Transmodal cover all transportation modes?

Yes. MDS Transmodal provides analysis and consulting across road, rail, air, and maritime freight sectors. Their expertise spans port connectivity, global shipping networks, trade corridor analysis, and multi-modal supply chain optimization for clients worldwide.

Source
Harbour Assist: Does it handle swinging moorings and drying berths?

Yes, and that is one of the reasons British harbours choose it over marina software designed around American pontoon dockage.

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