IAPH had a total of six submissions to last week’s IMO Facilitation Committee meeting (FAL 48). Along with the proposal calling for a cyber-secure Maritime Single Window (MSW), IAPH co-authored a paper with the World Customs Organization (WCO) providing an overview of the joint guidance on cooperation between customs and port authorities. The Committee welcomed these guidelines and invited IAPH and WCO to keep the Committee informed on the experience of the implementation. Similarly, under the agenda item on Port Community Systems, FAL 48 noted with appreciation the joint paper submitted by IAPH and the World Bank providing information on the report, Port Community Systems – Lessons Learned from Global Experience.
This was followed by the finalisation and approval of the Guidelines on Port Community Systems (PCS) with reference to the crucial role of cybersecurity and the need to align terminology in all the guidelines relating to the Maritime Single Window (MSW) and electronic data exchange for harmonised implementation. Another key outcome at this meeting was the agreement to develop an overarching IMO Strategy on Digitalisation to ensure standardisation and harmonisation, as proposed by China and others. IAPH took the floor to express support for such a strategy, drawing attention to the need to consider the wider maritime supply chain, which was noted by the chair and included in the final report. Subject to approval by the IMO Council, the target completion date for this new output is 2027. IAPH also co-sponsored a paper by BIMCO and others providing a summary of the industry survey on digitalisation and the current state of digitalisation within ports. This was well received by the Committee and it was agreed that this item would be deferred to FAL 49 in March next year, to be considered under the new output to develop the overarching digitalisation strategy. Finally, on illicit trade and organised crime, the submission made with BIMCO, InterPortPolice and others, to establish a new output at FAL 49 to revise the ‘Guidelines on the prevention and suppression of the smuggling of drugs, psychotropic substances and precursor chemicals on ships engaged in international maritime traffic,’ was approved by the Committee with work due to commence at the next session. A full report detailing the outcomes of this meeting and follow-up actions for IAPH will be disseminated to the Data Collaboration Committee shortly.
Source: IAPH
