Base Logo White

Proforma Disbursement Account Software

Your principal asks for a PDA before the vessel arrives. You check the port tariff book, pull up the principal’s contracted rates, estimate pilotage, towage, berth dues, and agency fees, then type it into a Word template and send it as a PDF. Base builds the PDA from stored tariffs and rate cards in minutes, and every line item carries through to the FDA when actuals come in.

Book a Demo
Proforma DA
MV Atlantic Pioneer, Houston
DRAFT
Pilotage (in/out)$8,400
Towage (2 tugs)$8,500
Berth/wharfage$4,200
Agency fee$1,500
Total Estimate$22,600

PDA Patterns by Port Call Type

Build a PDA from Stored Tariffs, Not Memory

Select the port. Base pulls the published tariff schedule for pilotage, towage, berth dues, linesmen, and terminal charges. Layer your principal’s contracted rates on top. Add your agency fee. The PDA is ready to send before the vessel clears the pilot station. Port cost data stays current because Base maps published tariff updates automatically.
Tariff Source
Published Port TariffAuto-mapped
Principal Contract RateLoaded
Agency Fee ScheduleActive

$1B+

in port call charges estimated and tracked

85,000+

charge lines across the platform

100+

US ports with stored tariff data

15

currencies for multi-currency PDAs

From PDA to FDA Without Re-keying

Every PDA line item carries into the FDA. As actual charges come in during the port call, Base replaces estimates with actuals. Vendor invoices are captured by OCR, matched to charge lines, and approved before they post. When the vessel sails and the last charge clears, the FDA is ready. Your disbursement accounting sync posts it to QuickBooks or Xero.
PDA to FDA Flow
PDA Sent$22,600
Actuals Received$21,940
FDA Variance-$660

Common Concerns

"We already have PDA templates in Word."

Word templates work until the tariff changes and nobody updates the template. In Base, the PDA pulls from stored tariff data that updates with the port authority schedule. Your estimates are always current.

"Our principals have different rate agreements."

Store each principal\’s contracted rates separately. When you build a PDA, Base layers the principal\’s rates on top of the published tariff. Different principals at the same port get different PDAs from the same tariff base.

"We need the PDA in a specific format for our principals."

Base generates PDAs as formatted PDFs using customizable DOCX templates. Your PDA looks like your letterhead, with your layout, your line item structure. The data comes from Base. The format is yours.

PDA Software

Build a Real PDA in Under Five Minutes

Pick a port and a vessel. We will build the PDA together from stored tariffs and your principal’s rate card. You will see every charge line, the tariff source, and the total estimate before we send it.

“Our PDAs used to take an hour because we were checking tariff PDFs and typing line by line. Now the tariff is already in the system. We just confirm and send.”

– Operations Coordinator, Port agency, US East Coast

See how Base solves your biggest challenges

PDAs That Build Themselves From Your Tariff Data

Port agencies that build PDAs in Base typically reduce estimate preparation time by 75% within the first month because the tariff data is already stored and the charge categories auto-populate.

Book a Demo

Proforma Disbursement Account Software FAQ

Proforma disbursement account (PDA) software automates the creation of port call cost estimates. It pulls from stored port tariffs, principal-specific rate cards, and standard charge categories to build an itemized PDA that you send to the principal before the vessel arrives. The PDA then carries through to the FDA when actual charges are confirmed.
Base maps published port tariff schedules for pilotage, towage, berth dues, linesmen, terminal charges, and other standard port costs. When you open a PDA, Base loads the tariff for that port and vessel type. You layer the principal contract rates on top and add your agency fee.
Yes. Base supports PDAs in 15 currencies. Port charges may be in local currency while your principal invoices in USD or EUR. Base handles the conversion and displays both currencies on the PDA.
Every PDA line item carries into the FDA record. As actual vendor invoices and charges come in during the port call, Base replaces the estimate with the actual amount. The variance between PDA and FDA is visible at all times. When the last charge clears, the FDA is ready to close and sync to your accounting system.
Yes. Build customizable DOCX templates for each principal or use a standard format. The data comes from Base. The layout and branding are yours. Export as PDF and send directly from the platform.
Agencies using Base report PDA-to-FDA variance consistently under 5% because the estimates are built from actual published tariffs rather than remembered rates or outdated spreadsheets. The tariff data updates with the port authority schedule.
Yes. Many agencies start by using Base for PDA generation only, then expand to charge tracking, vendor management, and FDA closeout over time. The PDA workflow works standalone or as part of the full port call platform.

Ready to get started?

See how Base works for your operation.

Book a Demo