# Get your Forecast container availability through an API

> Read import container availability, holds, demurrage status and last free day from Forecast by Tideworks with one API call. Or have a workflow check your containers at each terminal before dispatch every morning and email you the ones you can pull.

Page: https://fous.com/automate/forecast-by-tideworks
Updated: 2026-11-12

Works with your own Forecast by Tideworks account. Fous is an independent product.

## What you can build on Forecast

### Check import container availability

Looks up several containers at once in the terminal's import availability and reads each one's clearance, holds and releases, demurrage status and last free day.

- Takes: Container numbers
- Returns: Container number, available or not, holds, releases, clearance status, demurrage status, last free day

### Check a booking before the gate

Uses Booking Pre-Check to see whether a booking is valid in the terminal's system before a truck is sent with an export container.

- Takes: Booking number
- Returns: Booking number, valid or not, what the terminal shows for the booking

### Get gate transactions and gate errors

Reads your company's gate transactions and gate errors at the terminal for a date range.

- Takes: From date, to date
- Returns: Date and time, container number, gate transaction, gate error

### Book a gate appointment

Schedules a gate appointment for a container and submits the pre-advice the terminal asks for before the truck arrives.

- Takes: Container or booking number, date, time slot, trucking company
- Returns: Appointment number, container or booking number, date, time slot, status

## Automate Forecast with a workflow

A [workflow](/product/workflows) runs your methods as one process, with nobody at the screen. A schedule or a call from your own system starts it, the steps run in order, and the result arrives in your inbox or in the systems you already use.

### Containers you can pull today, at every terminal

Starts: Every weekday at 6:00

1. For each terminal you name, check the import availability of your open containers.
2. Keep the containers that are available and have no hold.
3. Email you the list by terminal, with each container's last free day.

### Holds released or last free day changed

Starts: Every hour

1. Check the import availability of the containers you are waiting on.
2. Keep the containers whose holds, releases or last free day changed since the last run.
3. Post each change to your dispatch system's webhook.

### Yesterday's gate errors, for your trucking desk

Starts: Every weekday at 7:00

1. Get yesterday's gate transactions and gate errors at the terminal.
2. Stop when there are no gate errors.
3. Summarize the errors by type and email you the summary with the containers involved.

You can run a workflow by hand on every plan, Free included. Schedules and webhook triggers come with the paid plans, from $29 a month.

## Once built, one call from your code

Once you have built a [method](/product/methods), it is one POST to /v1/runs from your backend, or a tool an AI agent calls over MCP. This is what “Check import container availability” would look like.

Example request:

```
curl https://api.fous.com/v1/runs \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $FOUS_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "method": "t18.tideworks.com/check_import_availability",
    "input": {
      "container_numbers": [
        "NWLU4810267",
        "ACMU7735190"
      ]
    }
  }'
```

Example response:

```
{
  "status": "completed",
  "data": {
    "terminal": "Terminal 18, Seattle",
    "containers": [
      {
        "container_number": "NWLU4810267",
        "available": true,
        "holds": [],
        "releases": [
          "Customs"
        ],
        "clearance_status": "Cleared",
        "demurrage_status": "No charges due",
        "last_free_day": "2026-11-16"
      }
    ],
    "count": 1
  }
}
```

An example with invented data, not a ready-made endpoint. The method exists in your organization once you build it, and its name, inputs and fields follow your request.

## Forecast’s own options

Forecast is the web portal each terminal runs on Tideworks for its customers: availability, bookings, appointments, reports and payments, as your company's access allows. Tideworks also offers the Tideworks Unified Gateway, which gives external partners API access to a terminal's data. Forecast itself offers email or text notifications and reports you export to Excel or PDF.

| Option | What it covers | What it takes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tideworks Unified Gateway (TUG) | API access to container status, gate appointments, release holds and estimated availability, with notifications for discharge, holds or customs clearance. | A terminal that runs TUG and gives your company access to it. |
| Forecast notifications | Email or text messages for bookings, container availability and last free day, among others. | A Forecast account at that terminal, signed up for the notifications. |
| Forecast reports | Reports for import, export, equipment and gate activity, exported to Excel or PDF. | A Forecast account whose company access includes reports. |
| Forecast by hand | Availability, holds, bookings, appointments, gate transactions, reports and fee payments, one terminal at a time. | A registered Forecast account at each terminal, by company type. |

Read on November 12, 2026: [Forecast by Tideworks](https://tideworks.com/forecast/), [Forecast product sheet](https://resources.tideworks.com/hubfs/Content%20Offers/Tideworks%20Product%20Sheet%20%7C%20Forecast.pdf), [Tideworks Unified Gateway](https://resources.tideworks.com/hubfs/Tideworks%20Unified%20Gateway_v2.pdf).

## Signing in to Forecast

Each terminal has its own Forecast address, and you register there as a broker or freight forwarder, consignee, shipper, steamship line or trucker. The sign-in page asks for a password, with Forgot password to reset it. With Fous you sign in once through that terminal's own sign-in with your own account: the login is sealed with AES-256, and an expired session is signed back in.

## Worth knowing

- **One portal and one account per terminal**: Every terminal has its own Forecast address, such as t18.tideworks.com for Terminal 18 in Seattle. A method works on one terminal, so you build one for each terminal you use and a workflow runs them in turn.
- **Your company access decides what you see**: The terminal decides which parties can see and edit which data. Viewing equipment, editing bookings or running reports depends on your company's access at that terminal.
- **Payments depend on the terminal**: Online payment works when the terminal has set it up with Mainsail Billing and a payment gateway. At Terminal 18, SSA Marine names eModal as its preferred payment platform for demurrage.
- **Support comes from the terminal**: Tideworks asks Forecast users to contact the terminal they are trying to reach for help, not Tideworks.

## More in Logistics: ocean carriers, terminals and ports

- [myDCLI](https://fous.com/automate/mydcli.md)
- [PayCargo](https://fous.com/automate/paycargo.md)
- [APM Terminals TERMPoint](https://fous.com/automate/apm-terminals-termpoint.md)
- [Georgia Ports WebAccess](https://fous.com/automate/georgia-ports-webaccess.md)
- [易港通](https://fous.com/automate/eporthub.md)
- [INTTRA](https://fous.com/automate/inttra.md)
- [CMA CGM eBusiness](https://fous.com/automate/cma-cgm-ebusiness.md)
- [COSCO SHIPPING Lines eBusiness](https://fous.com/automate/cosco-shipping-lines-ebusiness.md)
- [Maersk.com](https://fous.com/automate/maersk-com.md)
- [myMSC](https://fous.com/automate/mymsc.md)
- [ONE eCommerce](https://fous.com/automate/one-ecommerce.md)
- [ShipmentLink](https://fous.com/automate/shipmentlink.md)
- [eModal](https://fous.com/automate/emodal.md)
- [PortTruckPass](https://fous.com/automate/porttruckpass.md)
- [DAKOSY](https://fous.com/automate/dakosy.md)
- [Destin8](https://fous.com/automate/destin8.md)
- [Portbase](https://fous.com/automate/portbase.md)
- [PierPASS](https://fous.com/automate/pierpass.md)
- [1-Stop Vehicle Booking System](https://fous.com/automate/1-stop-vehicle-booking-system.md)

Other industries: [DAT One](/automate/dat-one), [RTX Supply Chain Platform](/automate/rtx-supply-chain-platform), [MOVE by Bureau Veritas](/automate/move-by-bureau-veritas), [ShowingTime](/automate/showingtime), [Bushel](/automate/bushel), [CVS AP Vendor Portal](/automate/cvs-ap-vendor-portal).

## Frequently asked questions

### Does Forecast by Tideworks have an API?

Not in Forecast itself. Tideworks offers the Tideworks Unified Gateway, which gives external partners API access to a terminal's container status, gate appointments, release holds and estimated availability, when that terminal runs it. Forecast itself gives you email or text notifications and reports exported to Excel or PDF.

### Can I check many containers at once?

Yes. Forecast lets you inquire about several containers at one time and shows their clearance and demurrage status. With Fous, a method takes your list of container numbers and returns each one's availability, holds and last free day as JSON.

### Can I check containers at several terminals in one go?

Not inside Forecast, where each terminal has its own portal and account. With Fous, you build a method for each terminal you use, and a workflow runs them in turn and emails you the result or posts it to your webhook.

### How do I pay demurrage at a Forecast terminal?

It depends on the terminal. Forecast can take payments by credit card, or let trusted accounts guarantee charges, when the terminal has set it up. SSA Marine names eModal as its preferred payment platform at Terminal 18.

### Is Fous affiliated with Tideworks Technology?

No. Fous is an independent product. You use it with your own Forecast account at each terminal, and a method reads and does only what that account can.

Fous is an independent product: it is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by the operator of Forecast by Tideworks (Tideworks Technology). The name is used only to say which system this page is about. Something here wrong or out of date? Write to legal@fous.com.