This week, the Port of Rotterdam marked a significant milestone by processing its 500,000th import container through its Secure Chain system. The Secure Chain eliminates the need for PIN codes—previously used for container access but often vulnerable to fraud.

“Using this approach, the current milestone of 500,000 containers was reached in just over ten months,” the port said.

In the Secure Chain, the shipping line, the shipper, the forwarder and the carrier digitally pass on the right to collect a container to each other in a closed logistics chain. This is done via the Port Community System of Portbase, the neutral logistics platform for the Dutch ports. As a result, only a haulier, barge operator or rail operator authorised via the Secure Chain can access the terminal, reducing the risk of fraud. The participants represent the entire logistics chain, supplemented by parties such as the Port of Rotterdam Authority, the Municipality of Rotterdam, Dutch Customs and the Seaport Police.

The new operational approach has now become standard practice in Rotterdam for all import containers from Latin America (since the 1st of April) and North America (since the 1st of July) and will soon (as of the 1st of October 2024) be implemented for container cargo from Africa, the Middle East, India and Pakistan. Ultimately, the port plans to handle all deepsea import containers in the port of Rotterdam via the Secure Chain.

The port added that there was another initiative underway, namely the verification of the operating carrier at the gate by container terminals. The automatic check ensures that the right driver is always granted access.

The Port of Rotterdam said in April 2024 that all the major deepsea shipping lines had adopted the Secure Chain: CMA CGM, COSCO Shipping, Evergreen, Hapag-Lloyd (via Secure Container Release), HMM, Maersk, Marfret, MSC, ONE, OOCL, Yang Ming and ZIM. According to the port, all deepsea terminals in Rotterdam also use the platform.

This week, the Port of Rotterdam marked a significant milestone by processing its 500,000th import container through its Secure Chain system. The Secure Chain eliminates the need for PIN codes—previously used for container access but often vulnerable to fraud.

“Using this approach, the current milestone of 500,000 containers was reached in just over ten months,” the port said.

In the Secure Chain, the shipping line, the shipper, the forwarder and the carrier digitally pass on the right to collect a container to each other in a closed logistics chain. This is done via the Port Community System of Portbase, the neutral logistics platform for the Dutch ports. As a result, only a haulier, barge operator or rail operator authorised via the Secure Chain can access the terminal, reducing the risk of fraud. The participants represent the entire logistics chain, supplemented by parties such as the Port of Rotterdam Authority, the Municipality of Rotterdam, Dutch Customs and the Seaport Police.

The new operational approach has now become standard practice in Rotterdam for all import containers from Latin America (since the 1st of April) and North America (since the 1st of July) and will soon (as of the 1st of October 2024) be implemented for container cargo from Africa, the Middle East, India and Pakistan. Ultimately, the port plans to handle all deepsea import containers in the port of Rotterdam via the Secure Chain.

The port added that there was another initiative underway, namely the verification of the operating carrier at the gate by container terminals. The automatic check ensures that the right driver is always granted access.

The Port of Rotterdam said in April 2024 that all the major deepsea shipping lines had adopted the Secure Chain: CMA CGM, COSCO Shipping, Evergreen, Hapag-Lloyd (via Secure Container Release), HMM, Maersk, Marfret, MSC, ONE, OOCL, Yang Ming and ZIM. According to the port, all deepsea terminals in Rotterdam also use the platform.