Effective from June 1st all administration-related burdens regarding the maritime industries in all of Europe are going to be greatly reduced via the introduction of an innovative electronic reporting platform.
The electronic system, which goes by the name of National Singe Window, will aim to simplify all reporting regulations related to shipping activities.
Up until now, it was necessary for basically identical information to be repeatedly reported over and over again. In accordance to the new system, the ship master or a representative of him is to provide maritime information in just a single place to the appointed authorities in the respective European country that the vessel has called at.
Photo: J. Koun
All the while, thanks to the new system, greater clarity will be achieved in regard to what, where and when to give reports in each of the Member States.
All of the data and information that is reported is going to be stored in a national database, which will be easily accessed by the relevant authorities. Upon request the information from the database can be obtained by the appointed authorities of any other EU Member State.
Up until now, calling vessels were obliged to make several individual reports to the authorities in the country of call regarding various aspects like the number of passengers, port calls, waste and residues, dangerous goods etc.
The ship masters were to make the reports in a special format for each authority.
Various means of communication were employed in order to carry out the task – starting from telefax over e-mail and going all the way to more advanced electronic reporting systems.
Meeting regarding the new system
The reporting system has managed to enter its last phase before initiation in Denmark. In the days to come, the all new reporting system will be presented during a meeting that is to take place in Eastern and Western Denmark. Expectations are that the maritime industries and authorities will have system access from some point in late May so that they would be able to implement it from June 1st onward.
Source: DMA