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Maritime · head to head

Kaleris vs ORBCOMM

Kaleris logo

Kaleris

Maritime

Terminal operating, yard, rail and vessel software assembled from acquired supply chain brands

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ORBCOMM logo

ORBCOMM

Maritime

IoT solutions for maritime asset tracking

From
$25/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Kaleris the portfolio was assembled by acquisition, so the single platform description is commercial rather than technical, and connecting two Kaleris products often requires professional services and a custom interface.; ORBCOMM satellite latency of approximately 600 milliseconds limits real-time applications
  • They diverge on capability: Kaleris covers Terminal operating system, ORBCOMM covers Satellite tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kaleris and ORBCOMM actually diverge.

Attributes where Kaleris and ORBCOMM differ
AttributeKalerisORBCOMM
Starting priceOn request$25/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWeb, On-premise, Private cloudSatellite, Web
FoundedUnknown1995

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 Kaleris

  • Terminal operating system
  • Yard management
  • Transportation management
  • Carrier and vessel solutions
  • Rail visibility
  • Maintenance and repair operations
  • Execution and visibility platform
  • Equipment control integration

Only in ORBCOMM

  • Satellite tracking
  • Container monitoring
  • Cold chain monitoring
  • Fleet telematics
  • TMS systems
  • ERP platforms
  • Warehouse management
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Kaleris

  • A container terminal replacing a legacy or in-house terminal operating system before an automation programmenot ORBCOMM
  • A port authority standardising several terminals on one operating system and reporting layernot ORBCOMM
  • An ocean carrier that needs stowage planning and vessel performance tooling alongside terminal systemsnot ORBCOMM
  • A rail or intermodal operator trying to reduce demurrage exposure with asset level visibilitynot ORBCOMM

ORBCOMM

  • Tracking shipping container temperatures for refrigerated cargonot Kaleris
  • Detecting vessel AIS spoofing to identify anomalous maritime activitynot Kaleris
  • Monitoring fuel consumption patterns across fleet operationsnot Kaleris
  • Screening shipments for sanctions compliance violationsnot Kaleris

Where each one falls short

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

Kaleris

  • The portfolio was assembled by acquisition, so the single platform description is commercial rather than technical, and connecting two Kaleris products often requires professional services and a custom interface.
  • A terminal operating system implementation runs 12 to 24 months with parallel operation, and the software licence is a minor line next to integration, equipment interfaces and retraining crane and gate staff.
  • Private equity ownership means the roadmap is shaped by acquisition strategy and an eventual exit, and a terminal signing a decade-long dependency has no visibility of who the next owner will be.
  • Configuration expertise is concentrated in the vendor and a small consultancy pool, so terminals end up buying vendor services for changes an internal team should be able to make.
  • The strength is container handling, and bulk, breakbulk and ro-ro terminals get a thinner functional fit that has to be closed with configuration and workarounds.

ORBCOMM

  • Satellite latency of approximately 600 milliseconds limits real-time applications
  • Higher cost per message compared to terrestrial cellular IoT solutions
  • Coverage remains near-global rather than fully global in all remote regions

Pricing, plan by plan

Kaleris

On request
  • Kaleris platform$undefined/year
    • Quoted per site, by throughput and modules taken
    • Implementation and integration services are the larger share of first-year cost
    • Equipment and gate interfaces scoped and priced individually

ORBCOMM

$25/month
  • Fleet Manager$99/month
    • Real-time tracking
    • Geofencing
    • Reporting

Which should you pick?

Choose Kaleris if

  • You need terminal operating system.
  • You work on Web, On-premise, Private cloud.
  • You also want yard management.
Kaleris review

Choose ORBCOMM if

  • You need satellite tracking.
  • You work on Satellite, Web.
  • You also want container monitoring.
ORBCOMM review

Questions people ask

Is Kaleris or ORBCOMM better?
Neither clearly leads. Kaleris starts at On request and ORBCOMM at $25/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kaleris or ORBCOMM?
Kaleris starts at On request and ORBCOMM at $25/month.
Does Kaleris or ORBCOMM run on more platforms?
Kaleris runs on Web, On-premise, Private cloud. ORBCOMM runs on Satellite, Web.
What is Kaleris best used for?
Kaleris is most often used for a container terminal replacing a legacy or in-house terminal operating system before an automation programme, a port authority standardising several terminals on one operating system and reporting layer, an ocean carrier that needs stowage planning and vessel performance tooling alongside terminal systems, a rail or intermodal operator trying to reduce demurrage exposure with asset level visibility. Of those, a container terminal replacing a legacy or in-house terminal operating system before an automation programme and a port authority standardising several terminals on one operating system and reporting layer are not what ORBCOMM is typically brought in for.
What can Kaleris do that ORBCOMM cannot?
Kaleris covers Terminal operating system, Yard management, Transportation management, Carrier and vessel solutions. ORBCOMM covers Satellite tracking, Container monitoring, Cold chain monitoring, Fleet telematics.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Kaleris: Is Kaleris the same thing as Navis?

No. Navis is the terminal operating system product line, now owned by Kaleris after Cargotec sold it to Accel-KKR in 2021. Kaleris is the parent group and sells several other product lines alongside it.

ORBCOMM: What is ORBCOMM's satellite coverage?

ORBCOMM's OGx service provides nearly global coverage across over 160 countries using a constellation of low Earth orbit satellites for two-way messaging and IoT data services.

Source
Kaleris: Who owns Kaleris?

It is backed by the private equity firm Accel-KKR and assembled from acquired software businesses.

ORBCOMM: How does satellite IoT compare to cellular connectivity?

ORBCOMM satellite offers immunity from cellular blind spots, network outages, congestion, and weather-related disruptions. However, satellite connectivity introduces approximately 600 milliseconds of round-trip latency.

Source
Kaleris: How long does a terminal operating system deployment take?

Plan for 12 to 24 months at a working container terminal, including parallel running. Anything shorter usually means a limited scope or a small facility.

ORBCOMM: What can ORBCOMM monitor in containers?

ORBCOMM's CT 1010 device provides sensor-based monitoring for container fire detection, unauthorized access alerts, damage detection, and asset visibility, with real-time satellite-based tracking.

Source
Kaleris: Does it suit bulk or breakbulk terminals?

Less well. The functional depth is in container handling, and other cargo types require significant configuration.

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