PortExpertise

Challenge

The EU Directive 2010/65/EU - Reporting Formalities for Ships arriving in/departing from EU ports - serves as the overall legal framework to allow for the development and
implementation of interconnecting national Maritime Single Windows. Common practice for captains and agents in pre-MSW times consists of submitting the same information and in different formats to several competent authorities, being a burden for the reporting parties. Introducing the Single Maritime Window means the reporting party has to submit information only once and electronically in order to enable sharing common information between competent authorities.

To build the national Maritime Single Windows it is necessary for the EU Member States, neighbouring countries and business to co-operate. That is why the ANNA-project was established (Advanced Networks National administrations). Shipping Assistance, a division of the Flemish Government put out a tender for an ANNA-project coordinator, which was granted to PortExpertise.

Action

The ANNA-project and the implementation of the Belgian MSW were merged into a single project managed by a PortExpertise expert. He interacted with private and public stakeholders both at national and European level, reported to a steering committee chaired by Shipping Assistance Division and a Management Committee chaired by Federal Public Service Mobility and Transport. He was in charge of all aspects of both projects including technical, financial, communication and legal.

Result

The Belgian MSW was successfully presented during the ANNA end event in Athens December 3, 2015. The ANNA Final Technical Report was delivered in the first half of 2016.