Privacy Policy

PortConnect ("PortConnect," "we," "us," or "our") operates a business directory for Vizhinjam International Seaport, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. This Privacy Policy explains what personal data we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, and what rights you have over it. It applies to everyone who uses portconnect.in — visitors searching the directory, businesses that create a listing, and anyone who submits an enquiry.

This policy is written to comply with India's Information Technology Act, 2000 and the rules made under it, and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 ("DPDP Act"), which governs how personal data of individuals in India is processed.

1. Information we collect

a. Information you provide directly:

• Account details when you register: name, email address, password (stored as a one-way hash, never in plain text), and company name.
• Business listing details: company name, contact person, phone, email, website, physical address, description, services, photos, and social media links.
• Enquiry/lead details when you contact a listed business: your name, company, email, phone number, and message.
• Contact form submissions: name, email, phone, and message.

b. Information collected automatically:

• Basic usage data such as pages viewed and listing view counts, used to show businesses how many people have viewed their profile.
• Standard server logs (IP address, browser type, access times) kept for security and troubleshooting.
• Cookies or local storage used for functional purposes — for example, remembering your light/dark theme preference or your saved (favourited) listings.

We do not knowingly collect sensitive personal data (such as financial account details, health information, or biometric data) through the directory.

2. How we use your information

• To create and manage your account and business listing.
• To review and verify business listings before they are published.
• To route enquiries from the contact form or a listing's enquiry form to the relevant business.
• To communicate with you about your account, your listing status, or a support request.
• To maintain the security and proper functioning of the website.
• To send optional updates if you subscribe to them — you can unsubscribe at any time.

We do not sell your personal data to third parties. We do not use your data for purposes beyond what is described in this policy without asking for your consent first.

3. Who we share information with

• Businesses you contact: if you submit an enquiry through a listing, your name, contact details, and message are shared with that specific business so they can respond to you.
• Service providers: we may use third-party infrastructure providers (for example, web hosting, email delivery, or map display services such as OpenStreetMap/Leaflet) strictly to operate the website. These providers process data only on our instructions.
• Legal requirements: we may disclose information if required to do so by law, court order, or a lawful request from a government or regulatory authority.

We do not share your data with advertisers, and we do not run third-party ad networks on this site.

4. Data retention

We retain account and listing data for as long as your account or listing remains active. If you close your account or request deletion, we will remove or anonymise your personal data within a reasonable period, except where we are required to retain certain records (for example, transaction records for paid plans) to comply with tax or legal obligations.

5. Your rights

Under the DPDP Act, 2023, you have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you.
• Request correction of inaccurate or outdated data.
• Request erasure of your data, subject to legal or contractual retention requirements.
• Withdraw consent for optional communications (such as update emails) at any time.
• Nominate another individual to exercise these rights on your behalf in the event of your death or incapacity.
• Raise a grievance with us, and if unresolved, escalate it to the Data Protection Board of India.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at portconnecttvm@gmail.com.

6. Data security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your data, including password hashing, restricted database access, and secure form handling. However, no method of transmission or storage over the internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

7. Children's privacy

PortConnect is a B2B platform intended for business use and is not directed at children. We do not knowingly collect personal data from individuals under the age of 18.

8. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page will always reflect the most recent revision. Material changes will be highlighted on the site.

9. Contact us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how your data is handled, contact us at:

Email: portconnecttvm@gmail.com
Address: Vizhinjam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India