Netherlands - Port Community Systems (English)

This case study concerns the PCS for Ports in the Netherlands, namely Portbase. Portbase is a publicly owned entity run and operated as an independent private company. It is an affiliate of both Havenbedrijf Rotterdam N.V. (Port of Rotterdam Authority) and Havenbedrijf Amsterdam N.V. (Port of Amsterdam Authority). Both entities are publicly owned and are shareholders of the company Portbase. Portbase was established in 2009 following the integration of two PCSOs: Port infolink operating at the port of Rotterdam and PortNET operating at the port of Amsterdam. The impetus for uniting the ports was efficiency and coordination. The aim was to end digital fragmentation and promote better coordination nationwide. The initiative is voluntary and is the result of both a formal top-down approach from its shareholders and an informal bottom-up approach. The initiative gained traction when the Harbor Masters designated the PCS as their formal notification stations and Customs decided to go paperless with the electronic manifest system. On the level of B2B services, port operators are free to use it or not. As the acceptance and commitment of the port community is substantive, that uptake is high.