During the IAPH 2023 World Ports Conference held in Abu Dhabi, the World Customs Organization (WCO) and the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) announced the launch of their Guidelines for Cooperation between Customs and Port Authorities.

The report guides practices aimed at improving interoperability between customs and faster digital port systems, ensuring the integrity of the supply chain through a maritime single window (MSW).

In an exclusive interview with MundoMaritimo, WCO Secretary-General Kunio Mikuriya commented on the agreement.

"Why not connect port and customs systems to a maritime single window? Naturally, we connect to ensure interoperability, standardize data, and determine how best to work together for the benefit of both organizations and thus facilitate trade," he said.

In this conversation, which took place during the Third Global Conference on Rules of Origin of the World Customs Organization (WCO), Mikuriya also shared his vision of the importance of digitization in the maritime industry.

"For the maritime industry, it is important to pursue digitization to ensure the smooth movement of ships. Digitization is essential to advance towards a maritime single window and the creation of a community and interoperability system between ports and customs. This is crucial to facilitate trade but also for customs to detect any illegality and to have the necessary data to protect society," he explained.

As part of his activities in Chile, Mikuriya met with government authorities and the Senate, including the Minister of Finance, Mario Marcel. They discussed the challenges facing customs, emphasizing the need to strengthen these institutions and promote the use of technology, process digitization, maritime single windows, such as the Integrated Foreign Trade System (SICEX), and interoperability between national and international agencies to combat smuggling and ensure proper tax collection.

He also held talks with the President of the Senate, Juan Antonio Coloma; Gael Grooby, Deputy Director of Tariffs and Trade Affairs at the WCO; Gabriela Landeros, Technical Deputy Director of Customs; Andrea Ortiz, Head of the International Customs Affairs Department; and Claudia Sanhueza, Undersecretary for International Economic Relations, to discuss relevant matters in the customs field in the context of international treaties.

Regarding these meetings, the WCO Secretary-General stated, "Political leaders in Chile understand very well what is at stake in customs to increase economic competitiveness and to protect society, and that's why they are eager to support the customs organization. Chile has the advantage of having 33 trade agreements, but these preferential rates should be better utilized. The government understands this, and that's why it fully supports this conference."

Kunio Mikuriya has served as the Secretary-General of the WCO since 2009. This will be his last year in office. In that regard, we asked him about his expectations for the end of his term.

"We have been working very closely with 185 members, including Latin America. So what I would like to see is that the groundwork for more cooperation within the American region but also connected to other regions will continue. So global connectivity is what I would like to support in the future," he concluded.