The Port Authority of Tarragona awarded the company Inetum España SA the supply, installation, and maintenance of the new automated equipment for the border control of entry and exit of third-country nationals.
The new devices will modernize the surveillance and management of access at the border control point of the cruise terminal, offering a more agile and optimized service. With the acquisition of this equipment, the Port Authority of Tarragona will implement both the European Entry Exit System (EES) and the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) in its facilities, which is beginning to be deployed this autumn.
The entry into force of the Entry Exit System entails the implementation of automated control systems for third-country nationals entering or leaving the European Union at all external borders of the Member States. The Port Tarragona cruise terminal, as an external border for cruise passengers, is also obliged to adopt these new equipments, which will mean a significant modernization in the surveillance and recording of the entry and exit of persons.
Biometric Data
The new equipment to be installed at the Port Tarragona cruise terminal will allow the replacement of manual passport stamping at the border with automated biometric records, which will include fingerprints and facial biometric identification. Apart from biometric data, the equipment will also collect various information such as first and last name, passport, and date and place of entry or exit for each person.
With this new system, in addition to complying with the new regulations and modernizing border control for people, congestion in passenger flows at the cruise terminal will be avoided and excessive waiting times to pass border control will be reduced, both for embarking and disembarking travelers.
The modernization of the border control equipment for the application of the EES and ETIAS systems involves the acquisition, installation, and maintenance for 3 years of six registration kiosks for the terminal, a verification and supervision desk, a registration desk, and a double booth in which two manual control points (MCP) will be located.
Likewise, Inetum España SA, as the awarded company, will also be responsible for the signage and information of this new system within the port area, through the installation of posters, road and multimedia signs, and other informational materials, which provide directions to travelers to reach the relevant border controls according to their nationality.
