Port/Airport Management

Ports and airports are locations where high volumes of cargo are transported and stored for export and import. Trade facilitation measures are vital here, since there is intensive interaction between the responsible authorities and businesses. Together with large volumes of goods, there is high information traffic between authorities and businesses, requiring constant liaison between the port/airport actors (shipping lines, agents, terminals, stevedores, ground handlers, freight forwarders, road and rail carriers) to organize the loading, unloading and storage of goods, and procedures with port/airport and other authorities and Customs.
Port/Airport control monitors the arrival, stay and departure of ships/aircraft, and controls the security of the ships/aircraft and their compliance with IMO/ICAO and other maritime/civil aviation regulations (such as dangerous waste disposal).

Role of IT systems

The management of information exchanges in maritime hubs is often centralized in Port Community Systems, which offer a relatively low cost system for exchanges between all parties and the ports, with the authorities and with the hinterland. In a way Port Community Systems are forms of Single Window.
Airports have a smaller volume of goods, but they are on average of higher value with more urgent timelines. Also, common centralized systems have been developed, e.g. Airport Community Systems, which abide by IATA and ICAO rules.