Beginning 1 October 2024, container shipments from Africa, the Middle East, India, and Pakistan must utilize the Secure Chain system at the port of Rotterdam.
Major shipping lines will cease issuing PIN codes from this date onward. This ensures that containers from these regions are consistently and securely released using the new protocol. Access to terminals is restricted to authorized hauliers, rail operators, and barge operators under the Secure Chain framework.
This marks the third phase of Secure Chain implementation in Rotterdam, following successful adoption for Latin American cargo starting 1 April. North America will transition on 1 July, with ongoing efforts to integrate all shipping regions into the Secure Chain approach.
With unanimous support from major deepsea shipping lines—such as CMA CGM, COSCO Shipping, Evergreen, Hapag-Lloyd (via Secure Container Release), HMM, Maersk, Marfret, MSC, ONE, OOCL, Yang Ming and ZIM—Rotterdam now employs a unified operational method for secure and reliable import container handling, eliminating reliance on PIN codes.
Since its inception, the Secure Chain has handled nearly 275,000 containers, embraced by approximately 950 shippers/ship agents and 800 inland operators.
Moreover, this collaborative initiative between industry stakeholders and authorities strengthens port logistics through digital resilience, particularly in enhancing the secure release and collection of import containers via the neutral Port Community System of Portbase in Dutch ports.