Legal Instrument

The Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL Convention) aims to prevent unnecessary delays in maritime traffic, promote government cooperation, and ensure uniformity in formalities and procedures while reducing required declarations.

Key paperless trade provisions found in the Amendments to the Annex on Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) and Maritime Single Window (MSW) include:

• Mandatory electronic exchange of FAL declarations between ships and ports
• Mandatory implementation of single window systems in all ports (from January 2024)
• Electronic exchange of arrival, stay, and departure information
• Single submission of information through coordinated systems
• Data reuse maximization protocols
• Electronic data transmission coordination
• Digital information exchange standards
• Maritime single window requirements
• Electronic clearance procedures
• Integrated data management systems

Note: The Convention's amendments significantly advance maritime paperless trade by mandating electronic data exchange and single window implementation while ensuring efficient information reuse.