ARGES

The project is based on the cooperation activities that have distinguished for many years the actions of the Italian and Greek partner ports. Facing the various challenges generated by the technological, economical and regulatory changes, the Port Authorities are becoming an active and cohesive part of the superior level institutions trying to be pioneers, in the Euro-Mediterranean area, as regards the implementation of the new Community directives.

The project idea is aiming to the legislative and structural harmonization of the information exchange systems operating between ships and land, port side, and between the port and the hinterland. The goal is to create an operational prototype of a unique national maritime single window NMSW/PMIS that will allow the ships to interface with the national Greek and Italian Coast Guard, interoperable with the European system of vessel traffic monitoring SafeNet, guaranteeing interoperability also with the existing PCS called GAIA.

The functionality of the system in Greece will also be verified, implementing the Community Directive 2010/65/EC trying to guarantee the alignment of the procedures avoiding therefore to further burden the duties of the shipping companies and agencies.

The operational interface created would become the standard to use in all the Greek and Italian ports, making necessary the provision of the PCS in every partner port that does not yet own one (Corfù and Patras) building a network of all the partner ports, though guaranteeing their independence.

This activity is then enhanced through the creation of personalized services for ship passengers, haulers and cruise passengers that will be distributed in every port. In order to build the network between the long distance and the last mile information systems, the intention is to create a network for the monitoring of the local viability (BAT province and Region of Epirus) that, connected to the port

information systems, would update in real time the haulers, in particular those carrying dangerous goods, on the state of the traffic.

The information network for users is completed with the marine weather forecast service regarding the coastal areas located near the partner ports.

ARGES is strategic because

• Its result covers the entire eligible territory and it can be further extended;
• Prepares the ground for the development of new policies in the future programming period;
• Adapts the two Countries to European legislation having therefore a real impact on the territory;
• Creates long-lasting conditions and tools for the cooperation between the two countries;
• It is replicable; – It is the capitalization of other cooperation projects belonging to this or to the previous programming period;
• Has sustainable results over time;
• It will be presented and disseminated as a pilot operation in which two countries have collaborated in order to adapt to Community legislation.