Organization : 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 air ports’ communities.
• optimises, manages and automates port and logistics processes through a single submission of data and connecting transport and logistics chains

A Port Community System Operator:

• is an organisation that is either public, private or public/private that operates and maintains a Port Community System and where the Port Community System represents the core of that organisations business.
• has a board, or some form of steering committee, made up of representatives from different internal and external groups within the Port and Logistics community
• has “service level agreements” with PCS users to manage the electronic exchange of information between different parties on their behalf.

A Single Window Operator is: 

• The organisation that has the legal responsibility for implementation and operation of a Single Window within a country or region and which operates the Single Window within that remit, whereby the Single Window allows parties involved in trade and transport to lodge standardised information and documents. 

Typical PCS Services

A PCS is a modular system with functionality designed to provide all the various sectors and players within a port community environment with tools specific to them, thus delivering a tightly integrated system. Developed for port users by port users, a PCS encompasses exports, imports, transhipments, consolidations, hazardous cargo and maritime statistics reporting.

PCSs in general provide a huge range of services and key features which can be summarised as follows:

• Easy, fast and efficient EDI information exchange, re-use and centralisation, available 24/7/365
• Customs declarations
• Electronic handling of all information regarding import and export of containerised, general and bulk cargo
• Status information and control, tracking and tracing through the whole logistics chain
• Processing of dangerous goods
• Processing of maritime and other statistics

With all of these services come many advantages. The core benefits for all parties involved are higher efficiency and speed regarding port processes, particularly through automatisation and the reduction of paperwork. In this way, PCSs contribute to sustainable transport logistics and support the ambitions to meet global carbon reduction requirements.

The functionality is aimed at eliminating unnecessary paperwork which can clog up cargo handling. Using electronic data exchange, the PCS is an effective real-time information system; fast, focused, flexible and multi-faceted, it aims to improve efficiency at all stages of the process of manifesting, through vessel discharge and loading, Customs clearance, port health formalities and delivery in and out of the terminal.

As well as the above, the PCS offers improved security, cost reduction and potentially more competitiveness for each use