Ten days ago the Israel Ports Company has begun testing its new invention the IPCS (Israeli Ports Community System). The IPCS is a digital platform where it is possible for every shipping company to upload the bill of lading* of its products. Through this new invention the aim is to simplify the process of verification and identification of products in all ports. Beyond to save time and costs the digital platform is an important instrument against the forgeries and the documentation delays or loss.
On IPCS the goods status in port is visible to both to the shipping company and to its customer. The process to introduce this new platform into the ports routine in Israel hasn’t been as difficult as you would imagine, indeed already 90 to 99% of operations about import and export are in a digital version.
The first companies to have an own blockchain with bill of lading, were: the ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd., which was the first in the world, followed by Adama (the Israel largest exporter company), Damco Logistics (cargo’s exporter and brokerage company) and PPL 33-35 (company operator in Ukrainian Ports).
The communication chain of shipping data starts when the cargo is put on the ship, constantly updating the cargo’s logistic and product status, visible to the crew and sent both to the exporter and to the importer.
For the moment the project is only at national level, it is managed and financed by Israel Ports Development & Assets Company Ltd. under the supervision of the Administration of Shipping and Ports at the Ministry of Transport and the Customs Administration at the Ministry of Finance.
The IPCS platform now includes 1400 companies, strangely not all belong to maritime world, indeed thare are exporters and importers, port operating companies, international forwarders, customs agents, ship agents, container warehouses, transport companies and railway companies too. In total there are 4800 profiles connected with platform.
* A bill of lading is a document, where there are declared the quantity, the quality and the type of product contained inside the container. The bill of lading is fundamental for the release of the cargo by the port.
Written by Nicolas Spirito