Softwr

Maritime · head to head

Kaleris vs Windward

Kaleris logo

Kaleris

Maritime

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

From
On request
Rated
-
Windward logo

Windward

Maritime

AI-powered maritime risk intelligence

From
$3000/month
Rated
-

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.; Windward requires embedded expert analysts for actionable intelligence; cannot operate fully autonomously
  • They diverge on capability: Kaleris covers Terminal operating system, Windward covers AI-powered risk scoring.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kaleris and Windward actually diverge.

Attributes where Kaleris and Windward differ
AttributeKalerisWindward
Starting priceOn request$3000/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWeb, On-premise, Private cloudWeb, Api
FoundedUnknown1996

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 Windward

  • AI-powered risk scoring
  • Sanctions compliance
  • Ship-to-ship detection
  • Dark activity alerts
  • Compliance systems
  • Trading platforms
  • Banking systems
  • 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 Windward
  • A port authority standardising several terminals on one operating system and reporting layernot Windward
  • An ocean carrier that needs stowage planning and vessel performance tooling alongside terminal systemsnot Windward
  • A rail or intermodal operator trying to reduce demurrage exposure with asset level visibilitynot Windward

Windward

  • Detecting vessel spoofing using multi-sensor AIS, dark vessel signals, and satellite datanot Kaleris
  • Conducting UN sanctions investigations for North Korea maritime compliancenot Kaleris
  • Performing financial AML and sanctions screening for maritime transactionsnot Kaleris
  • Identifying drug smuggling routes in international shipping networksnot Kaleris
  • Tracking port delays and causes in real-time shipping visibilitynot 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.

Windward

  • Requires embedded expert analysts for actionable intelligence; cannot operate fully autonomously
  • Platform focuses on specific maritime regions (Strait of Hormuz, Somali piracy zones); may not provide equally robust global coverage
  • Classified as unclassified and shareable, limiting penetration into highly classified defense operations
  • API-dependent architecture (GraphQL-based) may create integration complexity for some organizations
  • Multi-source data integration can be resource-intensive for organizations lacking dedicated intelligence staff

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

Windward

$3000/month
  • Professional$7500/month
    • Behavioral analytics
    • Dark activity detection
    • API access

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.

Choose Windward if

  • You need ai-powered risk scoring.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want sanctions compliance.

Questions people ask

Is Kaleris or Windward better?
Neither clearly leads. Kaleris starts at On request and Windward at $3000/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kaleris or Windward?
Kaleris starts at On request and Windward at $3000/month.
Does Kaleris or Windward run on more platforms?
Kaleris runs on Web, On-premise, Private cloud. Windward runs on Web, Api.
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 Windward is typically brought in for.
What can Kaleris do that Windward cannot?
Kaleris covers Terminal operating system, Yard management, Transportation management, Carrier and vessel solutions. Windward covers AI-powered risk scoring, Sanctions compliance, Ship-to-ship detection, Dark activity alerts.

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.

Windward: Does Windward provide autonomous intelligence or does it require human analysts?

Windward requires expert analysts to embed directly in your mission to deliver intelligence-ready products. The platform supports analyst workflows but cannot operate fully autonomously.

Source
Kaleris: Who owns Kaleris?

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

Windward: What data sources does Windward use beyond AIS?

Windward integrates multiple data sources including AIS, dark vessel signals, Earth Observation (EO), Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), and RF signals to provide multi-sensor maritime intelligence where AIS alone is insufficient.

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.

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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