An RSS Feed is a standardised news channel supported by many websites. These RSS feeds provide an alternative illustration to news contained in websites, whilst avoiding typical design-elements such as menus and frames.

By means of special programmes (commonly called Feed Reader) you can track several RSS Feeds, sourced from different providers simultaneously. Accordingly, any new message will appear automatically on your PC screen or mobile device once they are published.

Each RSS Feed has a unique Web address (URL) which needs to be configured in your Feed-Reader programme. Such configuration is called subscribing.

RSS is the abbreviation for Really Simple Syndication (in the sense of content syndication) and characterises the multiple usage of one message on both website and RSS feed.

Upon opening a webpage, your Internet browser will check if an RSS feed is available for this specific page. As per below 2 examples you can see how Internet browsers signal the availability of an RSS Feed:

Presumably your browser recognises RSS Feeds; simply look for the orange coloured symbol or consult the help-button in your browser.

RSS Feeds rely on a uniform standard. Consequently you can read and administrate RSS Feeds on many different platforms.

Several Internet browsers and mail programmes can, in addition to their core functions, also handle RSS Feeds. When you subscribe to an RSS Feed with these programmes, there is nothing more to organise, as everything works with one programme.

RSS Feeds can also be pursued through many Web services and Internet portals such as Google, Yahoo and Netvibes. Web services often provide elaborate functions and practical usability.
You can set up customised start pages which safeguard that latest news of your subscribed RSS Feeds are displayed. Once you log on to your provider such customized services are accessible from any PC.

In case you do not wish an integration with your Internet browser or mail programme, you have the option to install RSS Reader programmes. Such desktop programmes can offer basic and extended features, similar to Web services. All modern PC operating systems also offer you to display RSS Feeds on your desktop, to always be informed about the latest news.

Naturally, RSS Feeds can also be pursued on your smartphone, mobile or other suitable mobile devices. Commonly, for this purpose you need to install a so called "App" (short for application/programme). This way no important message stays unnoticed while you are travelling.

A well made overview on Feed-Reader programmes for different platforms can be found in the RSS toolbox.

Each RSS Feed is clearly assigned through an Internet-address (URL). In order to follow messages of these RSS Feeds, you need to "inform" your Feed Reader programme about this address.

Such set-up is also called "subscribing", as from that moment you will be permanently supplied with all messages of this RSS Feed.

You may subscribe to any RSS Feed without hesitation - there is no need to provide personal data and you do not have to assume any responsibilities.

In order to unsubscribe an RSS Feed, simply delete the subscription in your Feed Reader.

On top of this page you will find all addresses of Hapag-Lloyd RSS Feeds; these are also offered on our web pages related to "News".

All current browsers and mail programmes can display RSS Feeds. Please consult the help function in your browser or mail programme to identify the necessary steps.

For most Internet browsers, RSS Feeds can simply be added to your bookmarks. Once you open the bookmarked RSS Feeds the latest news will then be displayed automatically. The following browsers support RSS Feeds:

• Internet Explorer , Version 7 (for Windows)
• Safari (for Apple)
• Opera
• Mozilla Firefox
• Google Chrome

The functionalities offered by these programmes vary between basic display and practical features for convenient viewing and administration. Especially Mozilla Firefox can be expanded to a comfortable "news centre" by means of suitable extensions, e.g. Brief.

In case you prefer to view RSS Feeds in your mail programme please check likewise the help-function. Following mail programmes provide basic functionality:

• Microsoft Outlook (Version 2007 or higher, for Windows)
• Mozilla Thunderbird (offers Add-ons specialized for RSS, similar to Firefox)
• Opera

Web services and portals offer the opportunity to subscribe to RSS Feeds and read them at any PC where Internet access is provided. In any case, it is a precondition to have an account at the service provider.

Web services to read RSS Feeds attempt to imitate the behavior of desktop programmes in your browser; this works very successfully.

Portals offer the opportunity to create one or several pages containing messages / news from your favourite feeds.

Kindly check, if your favourite portal supports RSS Feeds. In case it does not please find below a list of the most common providers offering these services free of charge:

• Google, with Google Reader (Web service, see explanation video) and iGoogle (portal)
• Yahoo with myYahoo (Web service)
• Netvibes (Portal)

Google Reader is very clearly structured and offers many practical features to help you manage the flood of information.

The service of Yahoo Pipes facilitates processing of RSS Feeds in multiple ways, i.e. you can mix RSS Feeds and filter data by keywords and thereby drastically reduce the number of messages to be checked. Should you miss a particular function in your RSS Reader, Yahoo Pipes may perhaps have a solution at hand.

Yes, there are several programmes at your disposal for all common PC operating systems. A selection of recommended free of charge programmes are:

• Feedreader (for Windows)
• BlogBridge (in Java, hence bridging platforms)
• BottomFeeder (various Linux- and Unix dialects, Mac OS, Windows)
• RSS Bandit (for Windows)
• GreatNews (for Windows)

Feedreader directly support filtering of messages by keyword and administrate this filter as new virtual RSS Feed.  Similar functionality is provided by BlogBridge, simply named "SmartFeeds".

Yes, naturally. Since RSS Feeds contain message text only they are ideally suited to follow news on mobile devices.

Most mobile platforms offer RSS readers. Wherever Apps can be developed for their platforms chances are positive to actually find an appropriate App. Please search the App catalogue of your mobile device for keywords such as “rss”, "feed" or "news".

Should your mobile device support Java, it is most likely that a Java RSS Reader App is available. Example Apps for common platforms are:

Android

• AndroidRSS
• FeedR

Blackberry

• FreeRange
• Viigo

iPhone

• FreeRSS (free of charge, easy to use)
• MobileRSS (requires Google Account, varies from free of charge to $4.99)
• NetNewsWire (requires Google Account, varies from free of charge to $4.99)

Naturally Apps differ in respect of functionalities offered and price tag attached. An App free of charge is usually sufficient for start-up purposes.

Chargeable Apps mostly include special or advanced features; therefore please evaluate and compare before you buy.

Frequently Apps can be configured to synchronise themselves with your Google Reader account; some actually make this a precondition.

The advantage of such synchronisation is due to the fact that messages you have been reading whilst travelling, will automatically be marked as "read" in the Google Reader (or other comparable web service) and your browser. Accordingly, if you start reading your RSS Feeds on your smart phone/mobile device, you may continue such reading seamlessly at your local PC workstation.