Mediterranean Network for Custom Procedures and Simplification of Clearance in Ports

The proposed project aims to establish and operate a network of port authorities and transport experts in the Mediterranean region, focusing on the exchange of knowledge and expertise with regard to port and custom procedures and simplification of clearance for vessels and cargoes. This is expected to enhance the common understanding and promote the introduction of information systems to ports operation and potentially to other intermodal modes. The MEDNET project intends to make a significant contribution towards customs procedures and simplification of clearance for vessels and cargoes in Mediterranean area through a series of activities. Initially, a state of the art analysis will record the past and current customs practices and related legislation and create a -Port Operations Observatory in the Mediterranean-, whose purpose is the transparent sharing of best practice solutions with all stakeholders, extending, thus, the knowledge dissemination among European countries and along the port community. Subsequently, the bottlenecks that hinder the efficient flow of information will be identified and current administrative, regulatory and technical barriers will be analysed.

In addition, the project will identify windows of opportunity in view of simplifying and speeding up procedures. One of the main actions of the proposed project is the benchmarking of best practices, which will be carried out with the use of appropriate criteria, such as Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), specifically defined to reflect the specificities of the project. Apart from the MEDNET best practices, the project will also identify the required improvements for a specific port to reach the status of best practice. Pilot activities applied on specific ports, will test the selected best practices and their results.

Moreover, a Strategic Action Plan will be developed, which will focus on the harmonization and normalization of procedures among ports to create an open market with the use of information systems and simplified procedures. More specifically, the Strategic Action Plan will include recommendations for best practices promotion and transferability to be used by ports, but also by decisions makers and private actors. The development of a Strategic Action Plan will have obvious implications to the facilitation of transport by removing non-physical barriers and will enable a more rigorous push towards seamless maritime traffic across borders.

Finally, a suitable exploitation plan, developed during the project, will assist in the capitalization of the long-lasting effects of the project results. The exploitation plan will aim at creating an environment for harmonization and normalization, where project impacts will be maximized in the whole Mediterranean port community.