The Internet-Based Port Operations and Receipting for Terminals Systems (iPORTS), a system developed to convert Non-computerized Ports (NCP) to computerized operations, was successfully rolled out at the three (3) Terminal Management Offices (TMO) under the Port Management Office of Misamis Oriental/Cagayan de Oro (PMO MO/C) — Camiguin, Balingoan and Opol on October 23-25, 2018.

Developed by the Information and Communications Technology Department (ICTD) of the PPA Head Office, the iPORTS has combined features from the two previously used systems – Oracle and Port Operations Management System (POMS), hence, it is hoped to aid for a more efficient, convenient, and less hassle port services in line with PPA’s vision.

Three teams composed by the members of ICTD were dispatched to the respective TMOs to train the terminal managers, frontline port personnel and shipping lines representatives. Personnel were taught on how to use the iPORTS application— ship call number generation/vessel movement, cargo processing, billing generation, receipting process, report generation, customer registration, vessel registration, NOA/ABA submission, and manifest submission. These personnel were trained to be the iPORTS functional experts for internal and external-related functionalities of the system once it is fully implemented in their respective ports.

The training was hands-on under the supervision and facilitation of the ICTD members who also addressed queries and concerns raised by the personnel on the modules of the system being taught.

Complete transition to the iPORTS will proceed after all the assessments and feedbacks raised from the rollout are addressed and settled.

The iPORTS is planned to be rolled out in the Base Port by 2019. —by IMR Lam