IMO – Facilitation of Maritime Traffic and Transport in Paper Format

Introduction

IMO publications dedicated to the facilitation of maritime traffic in paper format provide reference documentation for understanding the international rules governing formalities related to the arrival, stay and departure of ships in ports. They also concern crews, passengers, cargoes, port authorities and the various stakeholders involved in port operations.

The FAL Convention, or Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic, provides the main international framework in this field. Adopted in 1965 and entering into force in 1967, it aims in particular to prevent unnecessary delays, harmonize formalities and promote cooperation between maritime administrations. Its Annex establishes standards and recommended practices concerning ships, persons and cargo during port calls.

Although operational procedures are now largely handled electronically, IMO publications in paper format remain useful reference documents for training, regulatory study, port procedure preparation and understanding the international framework governing maritime transport.

What Is Maritime Traffic Facilitation?

Maritime traffic facilitation refers to all measures intended to simplify, harmonize and rationalize the formalities associated with ship calls.

When a ship arrives in port, a wide range of information may be required by the relevant authorities: ship identity, crew, passengers, cargo, dangerous goods, security, public health or information relating to the voyage.

The FAL Convention aims to prevent each administration from imposing completely different procedures for identical information.

Documentation dedicated to maritime facilitation therefore helps explain:

• ship arrival formalities;

• procedures during the port call;

• departure formalities;

• crew information;

• passenger information;

• cargo declarations;

• procedures relating to dangerous goods;

• health and public-health requirements;

• procedures concerning stowaways;

• information exchanges between ships, ports and authorities.

The IMO FAL Convention

The FAL Convention is the central international instrument for maritime traffic facilitation.

It contains articles defining its scope and general provisions, together with an Annex dedicated to standards, recommended practices and procedures.

The Annex addresses ship arrival, stay and departure, the arrival and departure of persons, stowaways, cargoes and other articles, as well as certain public-health and quarantine matters.

For maritime transport professionals, understanding this documentary structure is essential for placing different port formalities within their international framework.

Arrival, Stay and Departure Formalities

A commercial port call may involve numerous stakeholders: port authorities, customs, immigration, health services, maritime authorities, ship agents, terminals, shipping companies and crew members.

IMO documentation helps explain how these different stakeholders participate in declaration and control procedures.

For example, when a container ship arrives in Le Havre, information concerning the vessel and its cargo must be transmitted to the relevant authorities and stakeholders according to the applicable procedures.

The same principle applies to a port call in Rotterdam, Antwerp, Dunkirk or a major Mediterranean port.

Facilitation is intended specifically to prevent unnecessary duplication of information requests and promote harmonization.

From Paper Documents to the Maritime Single Window

The paper version of IMO publications should not be confused with the former use of paper-based administrative procedures.

Since April 2019, electronic exchange of FAL information has been mandatory. Since 1 January 2024, IMO Member States have been required to use a Maritime Single Window for the electronic exchange of information relating to ship calls.

The principle is to centralize data so that the information required by the relevant authorities can be submitted once and reused whenever possible.

The paper format nevertheless remains useful for documentary consultation, study of the regulations, training and understanding the international principles governing these exchanges.

It also provides a stable reference document that can be consulted independently of an internet connection or computer system.

The Maritime Single Window

The Maritime Single Window, or MSW, represents a major development in maritime transport facilitation.

It makes it possible to centralize information exchanged between ships and authorities during a port call.

Data may concern in particular:

• ship information;

• crew;

• passengers;

• cargo;

• dangerous goods;

• customs formalities;

• security;

• health information;

• information required for arrival or departure clearance.

The objective is to reduce duplication, facilitate exchanges between authorities and improve the efficiency of port operations.

Maritime Transport Facilitation and Cargo

Facilitation also concerns the goods transported by ships.

In a port such as Rotterdam, a container ship may carry several thousand cargo units. Authorities need accurate information to identify the vessel, its cargo and any dangerous goods.

Facilitation procedures therefore complement the technical rules governing cargo transportation.

They interact in particular with international regulations concerning maritime safety, dangerous goods, port security and cargo-handling operations.

English Channel and North Sea

IMO documentation dedicated to facilitation is particularly relevant to understanding the administrative operation of major ports in the English Channel and North Sea.

Major ports in this area include:

• Dunkirk;

• Calais;

• Le Havre;

• Cherbourg;

• Rotterdam;

• Antwerp;

• Zeebrugge;

• Southampton;

• Portsmouth.

These ports are located on major European trade routes connecting the Atlantic Ocean, North Sea and international shipping networks.

Facilitation procedures therefore operate in an environment involving merchant ships, ferries, container ships, bulk carriers, tankers and specialized vessels.

Atlantic Ocean and Bay of Biscay

Facilitation also applies to port calls in the Atlantic Ocean and Bay of Biscay.

Ports such as Brest, Saint-Nazaire, La Rochelle, Bordeaux, Bayonne, Bilbao, Vigo and Lisbon participate in various international maritime transport networks.

For a ship operating between Northern Europe, the Iberian Peninsula and Atlantic routes, harmonized formalities facilitate the preparation of successive port calls.

IMO publications make it possible to place these procedures within the international framework applicable to maritime transport.

Mediterranean Sea, Strait of Gibraltar and International Routes

Maritime facilitation also applies to major Mediterranean shipping routes.

Ports such as Marseille, Fos-sur-Mer, Toulon, Genoa, Livorno, Naples, Barcelona, Valencia and Gibraltar are integrated into commercial networks connecting Europe, North Africa and international routes.

Beyond Gibraltar, ships may continue towards the Atlantic Ocean, Red Sea, Suez Canal, Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean.

IMO documentation provides a common international framework for understanding the principles of facilitation regardless of the maritime area crossed.

Complementarity with Nautical Charts and Publications

IMO publications dedicated to facilitation have a different function from nautical charts and hydrographic publications.

Publications from organizations such as SHOM, ADMIRALTY and NV Charts primarily provide the geographical, hydrographic and nautical information required for navigation.

IMO publications dedicated to facilitation, on the other hand, address the regulatory and administrative framework governing port calls and maritime transport.

These two categories of documentation are therefore complementary.

For example, a ship sailing from Le Havre to Rotterdam needs appropriate nautical documentation for navigation in the English Channel and North Sea while also complying with the administrative and port procedures applicable to its calls.

Use of IMO Documentation in Paper Format

The paper format offers several advantages for professionals and training institutions.

It can be used to:

• study the FAL Convention;

• understand international standards and recommended practices;

• prepare maritime regulatory courses;

• train cadets and officers;

• analyse port procedures;

• prepare internal procedures;

• conduct documentary research;

• have a reference document independent of a computer system;

• compare the evolution of regulatory provisions;

• understand the transition from traditional documentary procedures to electronic data exchange.

Paper documentation therefore provides a particularly suitable reference for in-depth study of regulatory texts.

For Merchant Navy Officers and Maritime Professionals

Merchant navy officers are directly concerned by port-call procedures.

The master and crew must understand the information that may be required during arrival, stay and departure.

FAL documentation is also relevant to ship agents, shipowners, shipping companies, operations managers, fleet managers and port professionals.

Within a shipping company, it can help harmonize procedures followed by several vessels calling at different European or international ports.

For Maritime Schools and Training Centres

IMO publications are also useful resources for maritime education.

They can be studied as part of courses covering:

• international maritime transport;

• maritime regulations;

• port operations;

• merchant shipping;

• port-call management;

• administrative formalities;

• maritime security;

• maritime logistics;

• electronic data exchange.

The paper format is particularly suitable for collective consultation of a regulatory text during a course or training session.

Documentation Related to the Digital Transformation of Maritime Transport

Maritime traffic facilitation clearly illustrates the digital transformation of the shipping sector.

The gradual transition from paper forms to electronic data exchange and then to Maritime Single Windows has profoundly changed the way information circulates between ships, ports and authorities.

IMO publications make it possible to understand this development by distinguishing the regulatory principles of facilitation from the technologies used to implement them.

The IMO Facilitation Committee addresses digitalization, Maritime Single Windows and the harmonization of information exchange in maritime transport.

Conclusion

IMO publications dedicated to the facilitation of maritime traffic and transport in paper format constitute international reference documentation for understanding the formalities and procedures associated with ship calls.

The FAL Convention establishes a common framework for the arrival, stay and departure of ships, persons and cargoes. It also provides the regulatory foundation for the modernization of information exchanges between ships, ports and authorities.

Although operational procedures are now largely electronic and Maritime Single Windows have been mandatory since 2024, paper documentation remains useful for study, training, regulatory research and understanding the operation of international maritime transport.

It applies to routes in the English Channel and North Sea as well as the Atlantic Ocean, Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean.

It is relevant to major ports such as Dunkirk, Le Havre, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Brest, Saint-Nazaire, Marseille, Genoa and Gibraltar, as well as international ports throughout the world.

FAQ

What is the IMO FAL Convention?

The FAL Convention is the Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic. It establishes international standards and recommended practices intended to simplify and harmonize formalities relating to the arrival, stay and departure of ships, as well as crews, passengers and cargoes.

What are IMO publications on maritime traffic facilitation used for?

They provide an understanding of the international framework governing port formalities, declarations, port-call procedures and information exchanges between ships, ports and authorities.

Is the paper FAL format still used for port formalities?

Operational FAL procedures are now largely electronic. Electronic information exchange is mandatory and Maritime Single Windows have been mandatory since 1 January 2024. Paper publications nevertheless remain useful as documentary, regulatory and educational references.

What is a Maritime Single Window?

A Maritime Single Window is a platform that centralizes the electronic exchange of information required for the arrival, stay and departure of a ship in port.

What types of information are covered by the FAL Convention?

Information may concern the ship, crew, passengers, cargo, dangerous goods, security, health matters and administrative formalities associated with the port call.

Which ports are concerned by maritime facilitation?

The FAL Convention applies to international maritime transport. It therefore concerns major ports such as Dunkirk, Le Havre, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Brest, Saint-Nazaire, Marseille, Genoa and Gibraltar, as well as international ports worldwide.

Does the FAL Convention concern cargo?

Yes. Its Annex contains provisions concerning the arrival, stay and departure of cargoes and other articles carried by ships.

What is the difference between facilitation and maritime safety?

Facilitation primarily concerns the simplification, harmonization and efficiency of formalities and information exchanges associated with maritime traffic. Maritime safety focuses more directly on preventing accidents, protecting life at sea and ensuring safe navigation.

What is the difference between IMO publications and SHOM or ADMIRALTY charts?

IMO publications primarily address international conventions, regulations, procedures and standards. SHOM and ADMIRALTY charts primarily provide the geographical and hydrographic information required for navigation.

Why consult an FAL publication in paper format?

Paper format provides a stable reference for studying regulatory texts, maritime training, documentary research and understanding international procedures without depending on a screen or internet connection.

Who are IMO publications on maritime facilitation intended for?

They are intended in particular for merchant navy officers, masters, shipowners, shipping companies, ship agents, fleet managers, administrations, port authorities, maritime schools and maritime transport professionals.

Does maritime facilitation concern only European ports?

No. The FAL Convention provides an international framework. It therefore applies to global shipping routes, from the English Channel and North Sea to the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean.