Port Community System
Shaping the evolution of Port Community Systems
Stay competitive with a Port Community System
A significant number of public and private stakeholders make up a port community supply chain. Smooth coordination and ongoing collaboration and cooperation between them is required for cargo to be delivered on time, and at a competitive cost.
Port Community System (PCS) is not only required for regulatory compliance but is now integral to becoming a competitive port for the future. PCS is a trade logistics single window interoperable with information systems from shipping lines, terminal operators, freight forwarders, customs brokers, multimodal transport operators, port and maritime authorities, customs management system, government agencies and a multitude of other operators in a seaport community
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Increase port efficiency
Port Community Systems are needed as the world becomes increasingly inaccessible if you are not already digitised. Although a number of ports are ahead of the game, trading across borders at a seaport is still a bottleneck in many countries for documentary and border compliance. Heavy reliance on red tape, informal economy, manual paper-based transactions and processes, low IT penetration or even redundancy of silos is a reality and leads to inefficiencies and wastage in the global logistics supply chain. A Port Community System is designed to address some of these challenges. Port Efficiency is a component of the World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Index 4.0.
Become truly digitised
The integration of public and private stakeholders in the shipping process into a Port Community System platform will enable port operations to become truly digitised. This will not only enhance optimisation and collaboration between the parties in the supply chain but ensure port competitiveness in a new digital economy. Port efficiency and Border Clearance are key components of the World Economic Forum Global The Global Competitiveness Index 4.0.
So what is a Port Community System (PCS)?
According to the International Port Community System Association (IPCSA), a Port Community System:
- Is a neutral and open electronic platform enabling intelligent and secure exchange of information between public and private stakeholders in order to improve the competitive position of the sea and airports communities
- Optimises, manages and automates port and logistics processes through a single submission of data connecting transport and logistics chains
No Need to Remove Current Systems
The integration of public and private stakeholders in the shipping process into a Port Community System platform will enable port operations to become fully automated, enabling fluid interoperability between all stakeholders in the supply chain. Implementation will not compete with existing port systems. The objective is to integrate all the required information needed for supply chain processes into one platform which will reduce time to market through the fast exchange, standardisation and simplification of data.
Not Just an Exercise in IT
As stated at the IAPH World Port Conference in Seoul, back in 2011, PCS is not an IT project but a change management project. Let’s stop to think as silos for one second when trade logistics performance is about public private cooperation and collaboration. Finding the champion(s) to transform trade logistics is fundamental, to engage reforms at customs and government agencies, to implement new legal frameworks, to go for a deep dive on capacity building and to focus on business process optimisation and automation… it is why implementations of Port Community Systems have been a success: the number one priority was not technological change but comprehensive change management. Today PCS is a priority in a number of regions concerned with trade facilitation.
PCS strategic objectives
A Port Community System contributes to the modernization of a key pillar of the economy by addressing three national strategic objectives for a number of countries:
1. complying with international trade facilitation and security standards
2. enabling the development of a world-class trade and transport hub
3. securing government revenue collection
“The annual added value of the PCS PortBase in the port of Rotterdam amounted to 245 million euros. Savings include 30 million euros by reducing the number of phone calls, 100 million euros by reducing email traffic, and 10 million euros by reducing the volume of road freight mileage.”
Sarah de Preter, Port of Rotterdam, February 2019
The integration of public and private stakeholders in the shipping process into a single, intelligent Port Community System platform will enable port operations to become fully automised and enhance optimisation and collaboration between the parties in the supply chain. Implementation does not need to compete with existing port systems. The objective is to integrate all the information needed for supply chain processes into one platform which will reduce time to market through the fast exchange, standardisation and simplification of data, available 24/7.
Maritime Street are world-renowned Port Community System experts and have consulted on a diverse range of projects around the world. Through benchmarking data gathered from the experiences of advanced ports, lessons can be learnt and best practices identified which will uncover the true potential that Port Community Systems hold for the industry.
Contact us to find out more and set up an initial consultation.
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