site.btaNew Digital Platform for Ship Handling in Bulgarian Seaports Launched

The Bulgarian Ports Infrastructure Company presented a new national system for exchange of information in Bulgarian seaports (Bulgarian Port Community System – BulPCS) in Burgas on Tuesday within the final event of the project. 
 
“This project is a big step towards the digitization of maritime transport in Bulgaria. This project will allow the full digitization of cargo handling. Instead of four or five different documents port operators will issue a single bill of lading. This will help Bulgarian seaports integrate with the systems of other institutions. It is important that we inform the business of the novelties which save time and resources,” said Transport Minister Georgi Gvozdeykov during the event. He added that the system can be upgraded after terminal operators integrate their systems. He said that the platform will save 40% of the time and expenses necessary to handle cargo. The Minister said that since the start of the new programming period BGN 40 million have been invested in transport connectivity. 

The digital platform developed ensures the secure and safe exchange of information between public and private sector stakeholders and is designed to improve the competitive performance of the port community. The main objective of the system is to optimize, manage and automate port and logistics processes, through the unified transmission of data linking transport and logistics chains. 
 
“This project helps expand digitization in cargo handling. Studies of good practices showed that this will make Bulgarian seaports more competitive and this is impossible without new technologies, “ said Dirk Pergoot, head of the Bulgarian Ports Infrastructure Company.

The system has been built on EUR 4 million under the European Regional Development Fund.