International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) launches global ports questionnaire on electronic data exchange

The International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) has announced a global questionnaire to ascertain how far world ports have digitized processes to track the movements of ships, cargo and passengers.

In June 2020, the IAPH issued an urgent call to action to accelerate digitalization and set out its commitment to support the wide-ranging adoption of secure electronic data exchange by global ports. One of the main initiatives identified involves the fulfilment of aims identified in the International Maritime Organization’s Facilitation (IMOFAL) Convention.  Since April 2019, this convention requires member states to establish systems for the electronic exchange of information between ships and ports.
IAPH’s commitment to supporting the fulfilment of this convention, together with the creation of the WPSP – IAPH COVID19 Task Force, of which Maritime Street is a contributing digitalization and trade facilitation expert and member, underscore the importance of enabling effective trade through the world’s ports during the COVID19 pandemic. The WPSP -IAPH COVID19 expert Task Force established an information portal to help address the challenges ports faced in keeping medical supplies, food, raw materials, energy, manufactured goods and other vital cargoes moving through the pandemic.  

“The spotlight that has fallen on world ports since the pandemic began has highlighted the critical role they serve in maintaining robust and effective supply chains and keeping global trade moving”, said Maritime Street President Pascal Ollivier. “This confidential questionnaire will provide vital information on just how far ports have been able to meet the requirements of the IMOFAL Convention in order to better understood the challenges faced by not only the ports themselves, but also the other stakeholders who contribute to the overall process of electronic data exchange.”

IAPH’s WPSP Technical Director Antonis Michail added “IAPH will provide consolidated feedback to those who have responded, in order to identify the challenges that need to be met through cross-collaboration between ports, institutions and global bodies. This will be welcomed by ports and stakeholders as the questionnaire will identify levels of assistance as well as tools needed to build capacity”.