Project Lead
The project was led by the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, in collaboration with its tech subsidiary NxtPort and the collaborative platform The Way Forward, with support from Belgian customs authorities.
Project Description
Since April 1st, 2025, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges has launched the Inbound Release Platform (IRP), an innovative and pioneering digital platform that transforms the goods import process through full-scale digitization. The IRP redefines how Belgian ports manage inbound flows, by centralizing data and ensuring automated compliance with the new EU customs system (PN/TS).
Through a collaborative and tech-driven approach, the platform enables efficient, secure, and transparent coordination among shipping lines, terminals, customs agents, and logistics providers. The use of digital Proofs of Union Status (PoUS), smart control alerts, and automated notifications makes IRP a key tool for advanced traceability and customs risk management.
The platform is now fully operational across Belgium’s three main ports (Antwerp, Zeebrugge, and Ghent), covering all types of cargo (containers, bulk, RoRo, etc.), and has already integrated over 95% of operators and terminals.
Project Goals
With the IRP, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges positions itself as a European leader in port digitalization and logistics innovation, offering a strategic and forward-looking solution to meet the new EU customs framework. The goal is to reduce administrative burden, speed up customs clearance, and serve as a replicable technological model for other European ports.
Date of publishing
29/05/2025
Links of intersest