IMO’s short video animation explaining how the single window concept or ship data exchange has become mandatory since 1 January 2024, marking a significant step in the acceleration of digitalization in shipping.
In particular, when ships enter and leave ports, vital information must be exchanged with various entities asore. Port Authorities, Pilots, Maritime administrations and health authorities require information about the Vessel, cargos, dangerous goods, crew passengers and more for safety security and environmental protection reasons.
The way this information is shared, is crucial. Digitalization is key. It not only reduces errors it improves the quality of the information being exchanged. Since 2019, IMO requires data to be exchanged electronically between the ship’s reporting parties such as the master ship agents and shipping lines and the authorities offshore and since the 1st of January 2024 the single window is mandatory.
Digitalization is critical for greater efficiency in shipping. The Maritime Single Window delivers information between ships, ports and government agencies quickly, reliably and smoothly.
… said IMO Secretary-General, Arsenio Dominguez
As informed, with a maritime single window data is submitted through a single portal without duplication and distributed to the correct authorities. To share exchange and understand the data, ships and ports need to use international harmonized standards. Different groups of stakeholders have different objectives and different work processes.
That is why IMO and the standards bodies ISO, UNECE and WCO have agreed on an IMO data set and an IMO reference data model known as the IMO compendium. This is a set of standards for the submission of Maritime related data. IMO encourages all stakeholders to adopt the IMO compendium when building digital systems in their Maritime single window.
This will make it possible for all to communicate because no matter which standard or system is based on the data can be exchanged check IMO guidelines for help on setting up a maritime single window. Learn from the experiences of member states around the world who have done so successfully and help make simpler more efficient Maritime trade a reality.
