International Port Community Systems Association welcomes Bulgarian Ports Infrastructure Company as new member
The International Port Community Systems Association (IPCSA) has added to its membership once again, by welcoming the Bulgarian Ports Infrastructure Company (BPI Co.) as its newest member, IPCSA said in its release.
As the national ports authority, BPI Co. is responsible for the development and modernisation of Bulgaria’s ports, including the Black Sea ports of Varna and Burgas and the Danube river ports of Lom, Vidin and Ruse. All the ports are made up of numerous public and private terminals.
Work is already under way to implement a Port Community System (PCS) at Varna and Burgas ports, which handle about 35 million tonnes of cargo annually. In April this year, BPI Co. awarded a €4.56 million contract to the DBA Group SpA subsidiary ACTUAL IT, to develop and supply the PCS. The schedule allows for the new PCS to be fully operational by 2022 said BPI Co. director general Anguel Zabourtov, who also highlighted BPI Co.’s progress in digitalisation elsewhere in the business.
This effort has included the development of the harmonised and technology-neutral European Maritime Single Window Environment. The Bulgarian MSW was developed by BPI Co. in 2010, well ahead of many other EU nations. In 2015, a new MSW software platform was implemented, fully complying with EU requirements.
PCS development is important for the progress of the Bulgarian ports, said Mr. Zabourtov. “It will provide effective exchange of information and reduce the administrative burden.
Implementation will facilitate the electronic information exchange in ports, saving time and money. The commissioning of the PCS will improve the competitive position of the Bulgarian sea ports and the efficiency of port activities, acting as a neutral and open electronic platform that enables an intelligent and secure exchange of information between stakeholders from public and private sector.
As well as the PCS for its maritime ports, BPI Co. is exploring opportunities to implement a PCS for its Danube ports and to enhance their potential in becoming attractive transhipment hubs.
IPCSA is one of the signatories of the ‘Call for Action’ communiqué entitled Accelerating Digitalisation of Maritime Trade and Logistics, which was published earlier this year and recognises the heightened urgency of this acceleration as stakeholders plan for a post Covid-19 future.
