The Port Authority of Algeciras (APBA) has presented in San José, Costa Rica, alongside the European Union and the Secretariat for Central American Economic Integration (SIECA), an ambitious project that will boost bi-regional trade between the Port of Algeciras and Central America, consolidating the Algeciras hub as the southern gateway to Europe.
This is the Digital Interoperability Project between the Central American Digital Trade Platform (PDCC) and the Port Community System (PCS) of the Port of Algeciras—an initiative that will enable pre-arrival inspections, ensure a smooth, secure, and intelligent document flow, and offer exporters and operators physical and documentary traceability from port to port along the maritime bridge between both regions. These logistics chains handle a trade volume of 18 billion euros annually, with the European Union being the region’s second most important trading partner and the main destination for agricultural products such as bananas and pineapples.
The pilot project is a pioneering initiative that will allow the digital exchange of sanitary certificates and customs documents between both regions, enabling early document evaluation for cargo inspections, reducing waiting times at port facilities, and increasing reliability and efficiency in the process of goods entering the European Union through the Port of Algeciras.
During the presentation, Gerardo Landaluce, president of the APBA, highlighted the strategic role of the port as a gateway to the continent: “The Port of Algeciras is a key logistics hub for fresh produce and other Central American goods. With this digital interoperability, we bring forward the inspection process, reduce transit times, and strengthen our position as an international benchmark in digital innovation and port sustainability.”
Meanwhile, María Román, Head of the Operations and Port Community Services Department at APBA, showcased the next-generation digital ecosystem of the Port of Algeciras, where digital transformation and innovation are pillars of the business strategy, focusing on the role of the PCS as a key tool for the secure and intelligent exchange of information among all actors in the logistics chain. This system optimizes processes, increases efficiency and reliability, and also improves traceability and transparency of supply chains passing through the Port of Algeciras. She concluded by illustrating the system’s operation with a practical case of importation from Central America, emphasizing the importance of digitizing the exchange of certificates of origin and phytosanitary certificates to speed up the pre-evaluation process before the vessel’s arrival.
This project is part of the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, which aims to promote sustainable, digital, and reliable infrastructure in Latin America and the Caribbean. With this interoperability, Central America, which has maintained an association agreement with the European Union for over a decade, positions itself at the forefront of digital trade facilitation, while Europe, through the Port of Algeciras, consolidates its role as a strategic partner in the development of modern and resilient logistics chains.
Finally, the institutions present agreed that the PDCC–PCS initiative serves as a replicable pilot model for other bi-regional logistics corridors, integrating shared digital standards and promoting more efficient and sustainable supply chains.
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