Platform identifying global maritime corruption risks launched

Platform identifying global maritime corruption risks launched
Marcus Hand | May 10, 2022 https://www.seatrade-maritime.com/finance-insurance/platform-identifying...

The Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN) has launched a new platform to enable parties to identify risks in different ports around the world.

MACN’s Global Port Integrity Platform (GPLP) uses 50,000 incident reports since 2011 and vetted external data sources to provide users comparative risk profiles in terms of corruption.

The organisation sees it as “gamechanger” as currently there is no standard for comparing integrity risks at different ports. The platform was made available to MACN members on 27 April.

MACN Associate Director, Martin Benderson, said, “GPIP will allow charterers, cargo owners, and shipping companies to compare ports’ integrity performance and identify risks when trading. For seafarers and shipping companies, GPIP will provide dynamic data that will help empower the industry to ‘Say No’ to corruption by making it easier to assess risk and prepare for calling ports in high-risk locations. GPIP will show very clearly what problems are most common and what challenges seafarers can expect to encounter.”

At launch the platform includes data on 106 ports in 50 countries and MACN has ambitions to double this number by end 2022.

The platform can also act as an engagement tool to work with ports and terminal operators to take action against corrupt practices.

Dr Antonis Michail, Technical Director, International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH), said: “Port risk and resilience is one the of strategic focus areas of IAPH, and MACN’s Global Port Integrity Platform is a tool that will help put the spotlight on the importance of anti-corruption measures in port and terminals worldwide.”