Geneva DryPort of StocktonCimbriaVan AalstTMS Awards 2023Vigan
  • TBA Group
  • Telestack
  • Bühler GmbH
  • Port of South Louisiana
  • Van Aalst
  • Vigan

ESPO wants more ambition on the harmonisation of data

(Posted on 28/09/18)

 ESPO welcomes the Commission’s proposal for a Regulation establishing a European Maritime Single Window environment (COM2018 278 final). The European Sea Ports Organisation is the principal interface between European seaports and the European institutions and its policy makers. For European ports though, reducing the administrative burden in maritime transport and facilitating trade is a top priority. ESPO wants more ambition on the harmonisation of data definitions and data sets, while maintaining the existing reporting systems. This would further reduce the administrative burden and would facilitate trade. This is the guiding principle of ESPO’s position paper in response to the Commission’s proposal for a Regulation establishing a European Maritime Single Window environment which was published on 17 May.

For European ports, the first priority should be to simplify administrative procedures by ensuring that the same data sets can be reported to each competent authority in the same way. In this context, ESPO welcomes the establishment of a harmonised data set. However, there is still work to be conducted to define the data set in detail - both data elements and data definitions. At the same time, ESPO agrees with the proposal to allow Member States to introduce or amend data requirements as in some cases ports might need to ask additional data to respond to exceptional circumstances. In that respect, this flexibility should also be extended to individual competent authorities.

ESPO in particular welcomes that the proposal builds upon the existing National Single Windows, while also allowing the reporting to be carried out through the Port Community Systems (PCS). The proposal rightly acknowledges the well functioning of PCS’s and the investments already made. European ports highlight that any solution should be technology neutral and should focus on data harmonisation.

Furthermore, a governance mechanism for the National Single Window should be established giving it the competence to store and redistribute data to the respective authorities. Otherwise, the proposal would not result in trade facilitation and simplification, but would just shift the burden from the ship side to the competent authorities.

Finally, ESPO considers the “reporting once principle” a valid means to achieve the objectives of the proposal, provided that it covers the re-use of data that do not change between subsequent port calls and takes into consideration the limited amount of data to be reused between authorities at a given port call.

Latest News

Dry bulk stable as Antwerp-Bruges grows in first half of 2024

(Posted on 22/07/24)

The total throughput of Port of Antwerp-Bruges was 143.2 million tonnes in the first six months of this... Read more


PD Ports aiming to be the UK’s most sustainable port

(Posted on 22/07/24)

PD Ports has a publicly stated aim to be the UK’s most sustainable port company, with a commitment... Read more


Cargo transhipment in North Sea Port remains stable

(Posted on 16/07/24)

Over the first six months of this year, the companies in North Sea Port recorded a volume of 33.4 million... Read more


Rotterdam to support redevelopment of Curaçao industrial zone

(Posted on 12/07/24)

Port of Rotterdam Authority will contribute to the redevelopment of the lands owned by the state-owned... Read more


ABP boosts marine capability through pilot launch upgrades

(Posted on 12/07/24)

Associated British Ports (ABP), the UK’s largest and leading ports operator, has announced an... Read more


ABP Humber welcomes Laura Wood as new Head of Commercial

(Posted on 04/07/24)

As Head of Commercial, Laura will head up the team responsible for Associated British Port’s wide... Read more


Cooperation on multiple port projects in Bangladesh

(Posted on 28/06/24)

Abu Dhabi, one of the world’s leading facilitators of global trade, logistics, and industry, and... Read more


Sastry: Africa’s mining industry offers high margins and long-term contracts

(Posted on 20/06/24)

Speaking at this year’s Drycon conference in Mumbai, Capt. Pappu Sastry, CEO of Adhira Shipping... Read more


Tunley Environmental announces ambitious transatlantic expansion plans

(Posted on 19/06/24)

Sustainability consultancy Tunley Environmental is announcing ambitious transatlantic expansion plans... Read more


Duluth earns favourable marks in Green Marine environmental rating

(Posted on 14/06/24)

The Duluth Seaway Port Authority and its terminal operations on Rice’s Point ranked among the... Read more


Port of South LouisianaTBA GroupBühler GmbHSailors SocietyTelestack
  • Geneva Dry
  • TMS Awards 2023

Subscribe to our newsletter

Keep up to date with the latest global news in bulk cargo handling and shipping