COSTA RICA'S MARITIME SINGLE WINDOW
Within the context of a globalized world and the mechanisms that improve the competitiveness of countries, Costa Rica has established as one of its priorities the digital transformation strategy that seeks the consolidation of a digital government that positively impacts the business sector, citizenship and institutional management.
In addition to the above, the country seeks through national legislation to provide legal certainty to citizens in terms of the services provided by the different state institutions, thus we find the Law No. 8220 of Protection of citizens from excessive administrative requirements and procedures.
Recently, the Ministry of Public Works and Transportation, through the Directorate of Informatics and the National Maritime Authority, are finalizing the development of a computer tool for inter-institutional coordination that will facilitate and simplify the reception procedures to be carried out by the Captain of a ship or his representative when docking in a national port. The tool goes beyond the paperwork at the national Maritime Authority, as it involves other government agencies with concurrent competencies in the above mentioned procedures, such as the Ministry of Health, the General Directorate of Immigration and Foreigners, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock.
This computerized mechanism manages the seven FAL forms promoted by the Convention to Facilitate International Maritime Traffic, 1965, approved by the Republic's Law No. 9574, as well as the information declared in them. In this way, a single digital file is maintained, which makes it possible to keep a historical record of the ships that visit our country and the data that allows generating reports for decision making in favor of the development of the maritime-port sub-sector in Costa Rica.
The future implementation of this computer system has caused great interest and positive expectations. On one hand, the users of the services that would be provided with the single window find an opportunity to improve the operation of the maritime business, as well as the State institutions will find a relief in the internal paperwork that each one of them must manage.
With the implementation of the Maritime Single Window, Costa Rica intends to:
- Assist in the implementation of the maritime transport regulatory sector, in conjunction with national policies for the elimination of obstacles and barriers to international trade.
- Update, streamline and harmonize the controls and processes for the reception of foreign vessels at national ports, in order to avoid losing competitiveness with our main trading partners.
- Use technology as a mechanism to simplify procedures and eliminate excessive requirements in the process of receiving ships, in order to streamline and promote trade facilitation.
This is one of the first steps that our country is taking to the digitalization of the procedures and services provided to users of the maritime-port subsector, in order to develop maritime transportation and e-Government.
Undoubtedly, this new IT tool will implement the best international practices in the process of reception of foreign vessels in national ports, in line with the guidelines provided by the International Maritime Organization on trade facilitation, as well as promoting the principle of a Single State that seeks to provide users with a coordinated, effective, efficient and timely service.