Abstract
<jats:p>This article develops a model of a digital delay card for cargo handling operations at a seaport terminal. The study treats a delay as an operational event that should enter an information system in a structured form suitable for subsequent evidentiary use. The methodological basis of the article is A. O. Butrim's approach to recording delays in maritime cargo handling, which focuses on the legal qualification of deviations from an agreed operational schedule, the documentation of delay causes, and the reduction of evidentiary risks. Building on this methodology, the article proposes an IT model that converts a delay into a digital event with fixed time parameters, a process stage, a classified cause, a related participant, a data source, supporting documents, a responsible user, and an audit trail. The article argues that such a model can help a terminal connect operational data with internal control, claims management, and legal risk management. The proposed digital delay card does not replace the terminal operating system. It works as a dedicated module that consolidates legally relevant data from existing operational systems, electronic document flow, event logs, service records, notices, and internal reports.</jats:p>