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Honduras and El Salvador have approved Action Plans aimed at modernizing maritime traffic facilitation. The Plans are designed to support the effective and sustainable implementation of the Facilitation Convention (FAL Convention) and its amendments in their respective countries. Each country adopted the Plans following the respective National Workshops on Facilitation convened by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the Central American Commission for Maritime Transport (COCATRAM).
Inter-institutional participation and regional cooperation
In Honduras, the workshop took place in Tegucigalpa (July 14 and 15), coordinated by the Honduran Merchant Marine Directorate (DGMM). Thirty-two representatives from national institutions responsible for the reception and dispatch of vessels in ports, as well as private sector stakeholders, participated in the workshop.
A similar workshop was held in El Salvador (July 17 and 18), which culminated in the country's adoption of the Action Plan. The workshop brought together 18 participants from national authorities and agencies involved in vessel clearance and facilitation procedures, as well as representatives of the private sector.
During both workshops, participants analyzed the results of virtual consultancies conducted by IMO, the first in 2021 and the second in 2023 in Honduras and the second in 2024 in El Salvador, focusing respectively on information gathering and technical follow-up. National maritime facilitation situations were also reviewed. These activities were part of Phase 3 of the technical assistance cycle for countries, as part of efforts to implement a Maritime Single Window (MSW).
Participants from both countries also had the opportunity to learn firsthand about Guatemala's experience in implementing its own Maritime Single Window.
Content and structure of the Action Plan
The approved Action Plan provides for a comprehensive modernization of international maritime traffic facilitation processes. Among its key components is the strengthening of efforts to implement a Maritime Single Window (MSW), a digital platform that centralizes and simplifies procedures related to the arrival and clearance of vessels at ports.
The documents include several technical sections, such as identified priority gaps, immediate strategic priorities, specific objectives, and priority activities required for implementation. They also include proposed key performance indicators (KPIs), a provisional timeline, and formal channels for submitting technical cooperation requests.
The Plans are designed to ensure alignment with national priorities, regional priorities agreed upon within the framework of COCATRAM, and the IMO's Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme (ITCP) 2026-2027. The documents also include a monitoring mechanism to periodically assess the progress and impacts of the implementation process.
By MundoMaritimo
Source and more information: https://www.mundomaritimo.c
