Digitalization initiatives and data sharing are being pursued across the maritime transportation chain. Following successful testbeds conducted around the world, an increasing number of ports are engaged in empowering their coordination, synchronization, and optimization associated to port call operations through initiatives like Port Collaborative Decision Making (PortCDM).
Improving the interaction between ship operations and port operations is high on the agenda of the Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA) which represents many of the key container shipping lines in the world.
Regions are becoming involved by encouraging sharing of data between ports - especially valuable for improving the efficiency of short-sea shipping. A growing number of ports, shipping companies, authorities, and cargo owners are now taking important steps towards standardized data sharing. This provides progress monitoring capabilities and important planning information to participating actors and at the same time enables the participating actors’ operations to be much better aligned, coordinated and synchronized with the activities of the other relevant actors with whom they must cooperate.
Due to digitalization and enhanced legal requirements brought about by such initiatives as single window and related reporting formalities, authorities are becoming more engaged, and the capabilities and benefits of digitalization are also high on the agenda within the various maritime industry associations.
A comprehensive overview of initiatives associated with digitizing the port call process has been released recently in an UNCTAD article.
Digitalization and data sharing provide new opportunities by better connecting carriers, ports, people, and infrastructure. It means maritime transport is then an integrated part of the global transport chain that can be pursued in a safe, efficient, and environmentally sustainable way.
Digitalization and data sharing are now inevitable changes that are happening or have already happened in many other commercial fields and which are now about to enable harmonized and transparent maritime transport to become a reality. It is just a question of which actors in the maritime transportation chain that will move first and take the important steps that will bring more value to them and their clients.
Below we highlight some examples of the opportunities offered by digitalization and data sharing. Each relies in some way or other on the principles that underpin PortCDM.
We look forward to welcome DCSA and our advisory council member UNCTAD at GTDW China Trade Development Week, 16-18 June, Shanghai.
This years theme "Digitalisation, Standardisation & Interoperability of Trade Technologies".
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