Port Single Window and Logistics Single Window

Abstract

A port is a confluence point for the various means of transport, responsible for the handling of the industries and other sort of companies goods located within their area of influence, which is called hinterland. The agile handling of ships and cargoes is a key factor for the competitiveness of a port, and the information management is ever more a strategic issue within this scope. Nevertheless, the different features of the various means of transport, the multiple players involved in port intermodality and logistics, as well as the cultural, technological and procedures simplification asymmetries of both the authorities representing the public interest inside the port and the private parties involved in the port business offer difficulties to the development of an agile and electronic integrated relational model. The “Single Window” philosophy implemented for the management of port information has been achieving very positive results, as far as maritime transport concerns (a sector with very specific characteristics), being absolutely imperative to apply this philosophy to all the means of transport and port logistics. The agility of information in intermodality is still an incipient reality, and the present project takes a careful look at this problematic. Our case-study is Port of Sines and we will make an analysis of the present situation and present a possible development to new conceptual developments in this area.