Short answer: LaycanMatch is an AI email parser for shipbrokers. It reads authorized broker mailboxes, classifies relevant messages, extracts cargo, vessel, laycan, DWT, quantity, ports and broker identity, then keeps the source email visible so the desk can verify the record before calling or exporting.
The practical value is not only extraction. Structured offers become searchable by route, cargo, vessel class, laycan window, confidence score and recency, which means the broker can move from raw emails to a shortlist faster.
What broker emails usually contain and what should be extracted
Dry bulk and general cargo broker circulars are rarely clean. A good parser has to identify cargo type, vessel name, DWT, quantity, load port, discharge port, zones, laycan, broker identity, source fragment and confidence.
| Field | Example | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Cargo | Wheat | Identifies the commodity type |
| Quantity | 45,000 MT | Helps match against vessel capacity |
| Load port | Constanta | Used for route fit |
| Discharge port | Alexandria | Used for voyage direction |
| Laycan | 22–28 July | Checks date overlap |
| DWT | 56,000 | Checks vessel suitability |
| Source email | Broker circular | Keeps audit trail |
| Confidence score | 87% | Shows extraction reliability |
Examples: raw broker email to structured cargo or vessel offer
Example broker email:
"Account wheat 45k 10 pct moloo Constanta / Alexandria laycan 22/28 July. Need handy/supra candidates."
Extracted by LaycanMatch:
Cargo: Wheat · Quantity: 45,000 MT · Tolerance: 10% · Load port: Constanta · Discharge port: Alexandria · Laycan: 22–28 July · Suggested vessel class: Handy / Supramax · Source: original broker email · Confidence: 84%
Example vessel circular:
"MV PACIFIC HARMONY open passing Canakkale 24/27 July abt 58k dwt geared. Pref East Med / Red Sea."
Extracted by LaycanMatch:
Vessel: MV PACIFIC HARMONY · DWT: 58,000 · Open area: Canakkale / East Med · Laycan: 24–27 July · Direction preference: East Med / Red Sea · Source kept for review · Confidence: 81%
Example mixed broker note:
"Prompt coal 30k from USG to WCI / India. Also have 55k supra open USG same window."
The system can split this into a cargo offer and a vessel offer, but the broker should review whether both belong to the same commercial conversation or were bundled in one note.
How extracted offers become searchable and useful
Parsing alone does not justify the workflow. The benefit comes when extracted offers enter a searchable database and saved cargo or vessel positions can be matched against route zones, laycan overlap, size fit, broker source and recency.
That is where LaycanMatch behaves like a pre-CRM broker workspace rather than a generic parser. The product turns unstructured mailbox flow into structured matching candidates.
What still needs broker judgment
LaycanMatch does not decide whether an offer is commercially worth pursuing. It does not negotiate freight, send broker replies or infer hidden commercial intent. The broker still checks ambiguous laycan wording, non-standard port references, combined offers, fixture relevance and counterpart quality.
Who this is not for: a desk that receives only a few broker emails per week or needs a full maritime intelligence platform with live AIS, market data and fixture history may be better served elsewhere.