March 15, 2000

Marine Terminals Corp., leading West Coast stevedore and terminal operating company, is announcing a major upgrade of its "Voyager" Web application with updated links to MTC’s interactive Web sites and cargo tracking.

Voyager is a transportation logistics management system used to track and request information about shipping containers, cargo status and related activities. With Voyager customer communications software, up-to-the-minute cargo information is delivered via the Internet to users with valid accounts. Accounts are available free of charge to container terminal customers, trucking companies, importers and other such interested parties. Since Voyager is a Web-based system, users can access critical data quickly from anywhere in the world by just logging onto the Internet.

The interactive Web pages connect you directly, quickly and transparently. The new enhancements include: Gate Activity Reports, Event Notification, Direct links to sales and marketing personnel, Voyager interactive links to customers’ and carriers’ Web sites, the latest MTC news releases and expanded terminal data information with facilities’ characteristics and operational capabilities.

Event Notification is one of the major features that set apart this Web-based program from others. Users can request faxes and or e-mails that automatically respond back to the user with requested information such as cargo clearing, change of status of an import container, booking validation, receipt of loaded containers into the terminal or update on when empties are dispatched against a booking. Inquiries can be made by bill of lading, container number or booking number. The experienced value of Event Notification is the eliminated need to make follow-up phone calls or inquires when the requested information changes or becomes available. This efficiency feature saves the user time and money.

Navigating Voyager is easy. From the home page: www.mtcorp.com, there are two ways to access Voyager and its various functions: by clicking on the "Facilities" button or the "Cargo Tracking" search box in the navigation bar. Clicking on the Facilities button in the navigation bar calls up a map of MTC terminals and customer facilities’ locations with links to each location’s customer information page containing links to its Voyage page of functions and the customers’ own Web page. Clicking the Cargo Tracking search box in the navigation bar brings a drop-down menu with options to choose the desired facility by location for direct access to that facility’s Voyage page of functions.

MTC has led the terminal industry in bringing interactive Web applications to the maritime industry. Douglas Tilden, president and CEO of Marine Terminals Corp. Holdings, commented on the significance of this new release.

"We believe that transparent, seamless shipment information is one of the most critical services we can provide our customer community," Tilden said. "We intend to continue to advance and improve this vital component of logistics management by upgrading the efficiency of our basic terminal information systems while at the same time focusing essential group resources on expanding the functionality of MTC’s unique Voyager customer communications software."

Voyager 2.0 can perform multiple inquiries and tasks, with contacts that facilitate response to sales and marketing people. It brings the user several major improvements to the existing fluid system of transition links to shipment tracking. Users can inquire about cargo status as well as general information of the various terminal sites and the carriers’ Web sites. There is no need to leave the Voyager Web programs to access links to multiple carriers. It is all integrated. Customers can check on cargo status then link to the carrier to conduct additional business such as cargo booking.

The "Gate Activity Reporting" provides the ability to view information about specific container and bare chassis movements. The user can filter reports to view only moves related to specific equipment, a particular company, a time period, of full or empty containers, or moves into or out of the gate. The user interface is redesigned with improved navigation, consistency, and ease of use, with a new look to easily identify sites. All of this is enhanced by improved performance, particularly for the "Import and Export" reporting features.

Other functions performed by Voyager include generation of reports showing container status, location and availability; requests for notification of specific container availability; vessel arrival and departure schedules; daily messages and instructions from the terminal; receiving notification via fax or email when a booking or container becomes available, or when a container enters or exits the gate; and viewing booking and bill of lading information for selected containers.

The Voyager system is currently used by Marine Terminals Corp. and its trading partners. Marine Terminals Corp., founded in 1931 and recently headquartered in Oakland, handles all major cargoes on the U.S. West Coast including containers, automobiles, newsprint, refrigerated products, steel, wood products, general, breakbulk, bulk and special projects. For more information on the company, visit their Web site: www.mtcorp.com or call (800) 676-5252. For additional information, see: www.embarcaderosystems.com

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