A number of large companies in the Ghent part of North Sea Port are taking an important step in securing their terminals. They are digitising their access and identity control and introducing a single joint Port Pass. Biometric identification should ensure greater security.
The introduction of the Port Pass is in line with the recent Belgian Maritime Security Act, which imposes stricter obligations on ISPS port facilities and port companies in all Belgian ports. The Act is intended to increase security in ports in order to combat organised crime, such as drug smuggling. The new rules stipulate that everyone working in a port environment must be thoroughly screened, that it must always be known who is present at port terminals, and that every entry must be automatically checked for port bans.
The current procedure in Belgium for access and identity control is often manual, cumbersome and fragmented. The need for a uniform and digital solution is therefore growing. To avoid each company in the port working with its own access system, the Ghent Dockers' Union (CEPG) and a number of leading companies located on the quays have joined forces. These are the stevedores Stukwerkers, Euroports, Sea-invest and Euro-Silo, and the fruit juice companies Louis Dreyfus Commodity and Citrosuco.
With the Port Pass, dock workers, truck drivers, contractors and authorities will soon be able to access different terminals with a single digital pass. Companies will have a clear overview of who is present and what cargo is being loaded or unloaded. Safe, efficient, administratively simple and compliant with international ISPS legislation.
At the beginning of 2026, Peripass will start rolling out the new Port Pass at more than 20 terminals in Ghent at North Sea Port.
Following a thorough selection process involving several companies, Ghent-based scale-up Peripass was chosen to develop Port Pass, a digital access platform with biometric identification. The platform also has the full support of the North Sea Port authority.
Peripass will be working on the development of the software over the coming months and will actively involve the participating parties to ensure an optimal user experience. The roll-out will start in early 2026 at more than 20 Ghent terminals in North Sea Port.
The collaboration originated in the North Sea Port Data Community, where companies focus on digital collaboration and joint solutions for safety and security. The introduction of the Port Pass is a concrete result of this.
Security and safety are high priorities for companies in the port. Much of this is regulated by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in the International Ship & Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code and at European level. In addition, the North Sea Port authority is also strongly committed to good security. Furthermore, the Belgian Maritime Security Act recently obliged companies to physically close off their terminals.
More information can be found on our website and at www.portpass.com.
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