In the grip of COVID-19, there’s plenty of talk about a ‘new normal’. For the maritime sector, that new normal will inevitably be based on a renewed push towards digitalisation. There are plenty of reasons for that – not least the need to reduce costs and bottlenecks and to increase effi ciency. But in practical terms, the pandemic is also reinforcing the case for going paperless because COVID-19 has been shown to stay on paper for up to four days. In June, a ‘Call to Action’ communiqué entitled Accelerating Digitalisation of Maritime Trade and Logistics was launched by a group of organisations, including the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH), BIMCO, the International Cargo Handling Coordination Association (ICHCA), the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), the International Harbour Masters’ Association (IHMA), the International Maritime Pilots Association (IMPA), the International Port Community Systems Association (IPCSA), the International Ship Suppliers’ Association (ISSA), the Federation of National Associations of Ship Brokers and Agents (FONASBA) and the PROTECT Group.
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