PORT OF LOS ANGELES BECOMES FIRST U.S. MEMBER OF INTERNATIONAL PORT COMMUNITY SYSTEMS ASSOCIATION (IPCSA)
September 17, 2018 - The International Port Community Systems Association (IPCSA) has announced a further significant expansion of its global membership, welcoming the association’s first member from the United States – the Port of Los Angeles.
The Port of Los Angeles is the busiest port in North America, handling 9.3 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in 2017. The Port joins IPCSA as is launches, in coordination with GE Transportation, the ‘Port Optimizer,’ a technology platform designed to provide advanced visibility and optimise planning throughout the supply chain.
“We are delighted to join IPCSA,” said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka. “Our purpose in joining this elite global association is to enhance our efforts for a common understanding of how Port Community Systems operate and what they can deliver today and in the future. IPCSA provides that platform.
“IPCSA’s consultative status at the International Maritime Organization and the key role it plays in international standards meetings, including the World Customs Organization, ISO, UN/CEFACT and IATA, are important to us,” Seroka added.
A pilot version of the Port Optimizer was launched in 2017, and Los Angeles is now working with terminals to implement throughout the Port complex. Already the project has attracted international interest.
Richard Morton, secretary general of IPCSA, said: “We are delighted to welcome Los Angeles and to have our first member from the United States. This is another exciting expansion of the membership and geographical reach of IPCSA, which started out as a European organisation only seven years ago.
“We look forward to sharing and exchanging knowledge with the Port of Los Angeles, which has pioneered the Port Optimizer over the past two years. IPCSA provides a platform for members from around the world to share and exchange experience and best practice in the smooth flow of information, to enhance cargo flow and trade facilitation.
“As an association, IPCSA continues to go from strength to strength. We represent our members at the highest levels, including through our consultative status at the International Maritime Organization and Special Consultative Status at UN ECOSOC.”
About IPCSA:
The International Port Community Systems Association (IPCSA) was originally founded in 2011 as the European Port Community Systems Association, by six European-based PCS operators. It was relaunched in 2014 as an international association, reflecting its growing membership outside Europe. Membership includes Sea and Air Port Community System Operators, Sea and Air Port Authorities and Single Window Operators.
Today, IPCSA’s members operate across the world, exchanging electronic information at more than 150 sea and air ports, rail and inland waterways, and border crossing points. This equates to more than 500 million TEU and 7 billion tonnes of world trade a year, a reach of over 1 million users, and the exchange of more than 30 million messages per day in support of efficient Sea and Air Ports.
IPCSA’s membership provides representation in each of the five UN Regional Commission regions. This geographical reach enables it to address the needs of members on a regional as well as international basis.
IPCSA has consultative status at the International Maritime Organization and Special Consultative Status at UN ECOSOC, both providing an important platform for representing the needs of its members and its members’ users at the highest level. IPCSA also takes part in international standards meetings including WCO, ISO, UN/CEFACT and IATA.
Contact:
Richard Morton
email: richard.morton@ipcsa.international
telephone: 0044 7796 334960
www.ipcsa.international
About The Port of Los Angeles:
The Port of Los Angeles is America’s premier port and has a strong commitment to developing innovatively strategic and sustainable operations that benefit Southern California’s economy and quality of life. North America’s leading seaport by container volume and cargo value, the Port of Los Angeles facilitated $284 billion in trade during 2017. San Pedro Bay port complex operations and commerce facilitate one in nine jobs in the five-county Southern California region.
Contact:
Phillip Sanfield, Director of Media Relations. Port of Los Angeles
email: psanfield@portla.org
telephone: 310-732-3568
https://www.portoflosangeles.org/