What is PCS?

PCS is a digital support system for communication and data exchange. The main users are participants of the port and sea trade who carry out the processes of handling ships as well as import and export of goods in the port.

The aim of the Polish PCS project is to increase the competitiveness of Polish seaports vis-à-vis the participants of international trade in goods. PCS solutions operate in the most important ports in the world. incl. in Rotterdam, under the name of "Portbase", in Hamburg, as "Dakosy", in Antwerp it is a "C-point" system that allows to shorten the time of logistics procedures in the supply chain from several hours to several minutes and reduce the costs of entrepreneurs.

PCS at our ports

The ongoing implementation works at the Port of Szczecin and Świnoujście of the Port Community System (PCS), developed by Polish PCS, take place under the "Program for the development of Polish seaports until 2030" adopted by the Council of Ministers, and the priority indicated in this document - digitization of Polish seaports.

One of the modules of the system developed by Polish PCS is the so-called Brokerage Module (MM-PCS), intended for the exchange of messages related to ship service at the entrance and exit to ports and during port stops.

In its final form, MM-PCS will enable safe and intelligent information exchange in the field of logistics and ship and goods handling. Ultimately, MM-PCS will allow to coordinate and increase the efficiency of the use of port infrastructure, increasing the efficiency of cargo turnover, and will provide support and facilitate the re-use of information in electronic form between partners of port and sea turnover, maritime agents, the Chief Port Dispatcher, companies providing pilot services and towing.

The main beneficiaries are the ship's agents. The tool will allow them to coordinate all activities necessary for the correct reporting and handling of a ship in port from the level of one application. The functionalities currently being developed include:

• ship database - coming from trusted sources (Lloyd's Register, NSW), will allow you to add and edit existing records,

• database of contractors - a collective database of cooperating companies, offering the possibility of supplementing and viewing, shared within one entity (agency),

• information on invoicing - sending information to stakeholders with information about the data to issue an invoice,

• notification of waste - possibility of reporting additional waste (e.g. when the ship is already in the port),

• ordering and reporting services - the tool will allow for reporting or ordering services related to the ship's stay in the port (ordering water, dams, fire-fighting ship assistance, notification of hazardous works, etc.),

• reporting to the dispatcher and other entities - the tool currently being developed will enable the agent to report the ship to the Port Dispatcher and other entities involved in the ship's entry to the port (pilot, terminal, towing company, etc.),

• ship declaration (including initial, Pre-Arrival, entry, exit, Port State Control) - the tool currently under development ensures the creation of all declarations along with IMO forms, work on full integration with NSW is underway,

• vessel's registration declaration - this function will enable the transmission of statistical data.

The functionalities listed above are in fact the tip of the iceberg. The Brokerage Module, which is one of the elements of the system developed by Polish PCS, will be equipped with a number of further improvements and tools over time. Continuous development takes place in close cooperation with agents, thanks to which it allows you to quickly identify specific needs and prioritize the most desirable functions.

In the development phase, there are also tools that allow you to obtain information about the ship's position, weather forecast or water level within the so-called Vessel Traffic Services (VTS), obtaining information about transhipment or a comprehensive planner, offering the possibility of planning the traffic of ships expected and at the port using an interactive calendar shared by users of a given organization.

Next steps

ZMPSiŚ SA, together with stakeholders, with the participation of Polski PCS, is working on the expansion of the PCS system with new functionalities that will support the processes related to the handling of ships and their cargoes in the ports of Szczecin and Świnoujście. In order to improve and develop the system, we encourage all entities, and in particular ship agents, to actively use the PCS brokerage module. It is also planned to launch the MM-PCS mobile application, which will obviously make it easier for the ship's agents to coordinate the ship's stay in the port.

We remind you that starting work with the PCS-MM program is possible after creating an access account, which is obtained after submitting an application at biuro@polskipcs.pl


Currently, the Szczecin and Świnoujście Seaports Authority enables the submission of a notification to the Port Dispatcher using the existing methods. However, we would like to ask you to take action now to create access accounts and use PCS-MM, which will allow for a smooth transition from the current method, because ZMPSiŚ SA plans to accept applications only via PCS-MM soon, about which we will inform you a separate message.

All requests and comments regarding the operation and functionality of the PCS brokerage module should be submitted via the Electronic Report Handling System operating on the PCS platform. You can also contact us by e-mail at support@polskipcs.pl), or by phone (+48 883 299 799).