North Sea Port has launched Port Pass, a digital identity and biometric access control platform built with Peripass, replacing physical port passes with smartphone-based registration and triple verification for access to ISPS-regulated port areas.
The port authority introduced the platform on January 27 at the Stukwerkers Container Terminal in Ghent, Belgium, with Belgium’s maritime minister in attendance. The system digitizes the complete pass process for drivers, visitors, contractors, personnel, and ship crews using pre-registration, biometric identity checks, and real-time verification against port ban databases.
The deployment parallels Rotterdam port’s switch to facial recognition for driver access checks. European ports are also preparing for border systems with EES biometric equipment deployments at ports ahead of the EU Entry/Exit System rollout.
North Sea Port developed Port Pass with seven pilot customers from the port community and received support from Belgian maritime authorities. The authority says full rollout across pilot customers is planned for the end of March 2026, with Belgian news agency Belga reporting deployment across 21 terminals.
“It is extremely difficult to know exactly who is entering a site and who should not be there,” Matti Desmet said in remarks to Belga News Agency.
The Port Pass platform addresses security requirements under the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code, which mandates access controls for port facilities handling international vessels. The biometric verification layer adds a tamper-resistant identity check beyond what physical badge systems can provide.
North Sea Port operates a cross-border port area spanning Belgium and the Netherlands, handling container, bulk, and general cargo operations across multiple terminals. The adoption of a unified biometric access system indicates accelerating deployment of digital identity infrastructure in critical logistics and transport facilities.
Sources: North Sea Port, Belga News Agency
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By the ID Tech Editorial Team
