IMO: FAL Convention amendments on electronic information exchange come into effect

A mandatory requirement for national governments to introduce electronic information exchange between ships and ports is coming into effect. The requirement, mandatory under IMO’s Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL Convention), is part of a package of amendments under the revised Annex to the FAL Convention, adopted in 2016.  The FAL Convention encourages use of a “single window” for data, to enable all the information required by public authorities in connection with the arrival, stay and departure of ships, persons and cargo, to be submitted via a single portal, without duplication. The FAL Convention amendments make it mandatory for ships and ports to exchange FAL data electronically from 8 April 2019.  More information is available here and here.