Blog · Technology
SeaRates has shut down: an alternative to its load calculator
SeaRates has shut down: in August 2026, DP World confirmed it is no longer operating the platform, and its load calculator is no longer available. The alternative is a tool that builds the same container or truck load plan from the same data and also checks whether the load can ship before you send it.
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In short
- On 27 August 2026, DP World confirmed it is no longer using the SeaRates business globally.
- Since November 2026, the SeaRates website, including its load calculator, redirects to the DP World website.
- In SendContainer you build the same load plan from the same data: dimensions, weight, quantity and stacking.
- On top of the 3D plan you get a verdict: validated, validated with warnings or not validated, with the reason for each warning.
What happened to SeaRates?
On 27 August 2026, DP World confirmed to FreightWaves that it is no longer using the SeaRates business globally. DP World had acquired SeaRates in 2020.
Since November 2026, the SeaRates website, including its load calculator page, redirects to the DP World website. It was a widely used tool among freight forwarders and exporters for container and truck load planning.
If it was your everyday tool, you can keep working today: validate your first load. Try it free, no sign-up.
How do I plan my first load in SendContainer?
In three steps, with the same data you used before:
- Enter the cargo. Dimensions, weight, quantity and whether each package or pallet can be stacked, as you did before. You can also import the packing list or paste it as it is.
- Choose the equipment (20ft, 40ft, 40ft HC, truck…) or let SendContainer suggest the best fit, or several units if it does not fit in one.
- Get the 3D plan and the verdict: validated, validated with warnings or not validated, with the reason for each warning and what to fix.
You used to calculate. Now you validate.
Nobody calculates a load just for the sake of it: you calculate to know whether it fits, how many units to book and whether the weight is within limits. SendContainer does the calculation and answers that question. It checks payload, weight distribution and centre of gravity, stacking and, for trucks, axle loads; and it works out the estimated VGM.
A loading mistake is paid for late: at the dock, on the weighbridge or at the terminal. With SendContainer you see it first, on screen. More on load validation vs load calculation.
What did the SeaRates load calculator do, and how is it done in SendContainer?
| What you did | In SendContainer |
|---|---|
| Load planning for 20ft, 40ft and 40ft HC containers | Yes, with a 3D load plan |
| Truck loading | Yes, with a 3D plan, maximum authorised weight and axle loads |
| Special containers (reefer, open top, flat rack) | Yes |
| Pallets, big bags and drums | Yes |
| Air freight | Yes: ULDs, air pallets and IATA chargeable weight |
| Export the plan or share it with your customer | Yes, as a PDF or by link, with your logo |
| Integrate it into your system | Yes, via API from your ERP or TMS |
And on top of that, the verdict: SendContainer tells you whether the load can ship and, if not, why and what to fix.
What if I had the SeaRates calculator integrated?
If you used it inside your website or your system, the SendContainer API validates every shipment from your ERP or TMS, with the same engine as the web app. Tell us how you worked and we will suggest the quickest way to replace it.
Sources
- FreightWaves: “DP World shutting down SeaRates digital freight platform”, 27 August 2026
- Check of searates.com and its load calculator, 4 November 2026: both redirect to dpworld.com
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