The International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) and the International Port Community Systems Association (IPCSA) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to coordinate work on port digitalisation, data interoperability, cyber security and supply chain resilience.
The agreement formalises an existing collaboration between the two organisations, which has included work at the International Maritime Organization (IMO), most recently during the 50th session of the Facilitation Committee (FAL 50) in April 2026.
IPCSA co-sponsored an IAPH proposal to introduce amendments to the FAL Convention requiring a cyber security standard for Maritime Single Windows (MSW), intended to protect the digital systems used to exchange information between ports, shipping companies and government authorities.
The new MoU identifies several areas for joint activity, including promoting the adoption of Port Community Systems (PCS) and MSW, encouraging common data standards and interoperable systems, developing cyber-resilient port infrastructure, and sharing technical knowledge. It also provides for joint representation at the IMO and other international organisations.
The agreement was signed following an IAPH conference roundtable examining data harmonisation for Port Call Optimisation (PCO) and supply chain resilience. The session included discussion of a common digital infrastructure standard for cargo traceability across multimodal container supply chains, developed by the IAPH Data Collaboration Committee with support from its Supply Chain Resilience Taskforce, of which IPCSA is a member.
“Port Community Systems and Single Window environments are vital digital ecosystems that act more and more as trusted, secure and resilient networks for the port areas they serve,” said Nico De Cauwer, Secretary-General of IPCSA.
IAPH Managing Director Patrick Verhoeven said the adoption and effective implementation of PCS and MSW systems was critical to the industry’s future, adding that the agreement would build on the organisations’ existing cooperation on digital security and resilience.
