What is TPCS

Tuscan Port Community System

The TPCS (Tuscan Port Community System) is the Port Community System of the Port Authority of Northern Tyrrhenian Sea. The TPCS platform digitalizes and simplifies the informatics flows of import and export operations. It is currently used by:

  • Terminal operators
  • Shippers
  • Maritime Agencies
  • Institutional Bodies
  • Freight Forwarders
  • Carriers
  • Ship Forwarders

Both the start-up phase and the TPCS roots in the Port Community were completed in 2015. Starting from 2016, the TPCS has become the tool for the management of complex logistics flows.

The TPCS Technical Commission was established on 14th July 2016. The Commission is coordinated by Port Authority and it is composed by representatives of Terminal and Category Association.

The TPCS Technical Commission has enabled to:

  • Intervene on the system to improve the service quality;
  • Design new functions compliant with both the recent legislative provisions (i.e. VGM function) and the users’ needs.

An instrument capable of increasing the efficiency of port operations

Features

Advantages of TCPS

  • Free
  • Interactive
  • Ecological
  • Secure
  • Quickly

The TPCS service (functionalities and help-desk) is freely provided by the Port Authority of Northern Tyrrhenian Sea.

To access the TPCS is sufficient to have a computer, an internet connection and the service’s credentials. Further applications are not required.

The TPCS facilitates the sharing and the exchange of information between public and private actors, involved in the management and control activities of cargo.

The key word is “paperless”. The digitalization process fostered by TPCS, enables both the paperless management of documents and the queues/waiting time reduction at the terminals' gates. This allows reducing the CO2 emission and the noise pollution.

The digitalization and the information sharing through the TPCS, enable to reduce the risk of errors generated by the document management. Moreover, backup, recovery and privacy protection mechanisms are set up.

The time reduction of data transfer through TPCS enables to improve the port operability and the timing for the cargo recovery/handling.

TPCS enables

What can you do with TPCS

  • Vettori marittimi

    Maritime carriers and their representatives: to download data related to departing goods, so that they can correctly present the Inward and outward Cargo Manifest in a completely automatic way.

  • Spedizioni merce

    Freight Forwarders: to interactively present customs declarations and electronic loading requests, once customs clearance has been obtained. The Freight Forwarders can control the "gate-in status" of their containers, accessing the "VGM function".

  • Terminal portuali

    Port Terminal: to securely plan and carry out authorized unloading operations and the subsequent containers release, as well as the gate-in operations and the subsequent loading operations.

  • Uffici istituzionali

    Institutional Bodies: to monitor and control both import/export processes (and the freight handled).

  • Trasportatori

    Carriers: to check the status of a lot of goods to be collected, printing the single document required to the container release (DVRC). In addition, they can sent to terminals the containers’ weights, through the "VGM" function.

  • Shipper e Nodi di Pesatura

    Shippers and Weighing nodes: to send the verified gross mass (VGM) associated to containers in export, in order to create electronic weigh certificate using the "VGM" function.

How does it work

Integration and simplification

  • Import Area
  • Export Area
  • Sud Area

The TPCS manages ship voyage and freight arriving in Port. Particularly, TPCS provides functions for the transmission of:

  • The Inward Cargo Manifest (MMA);
  • The Inward Loading List containing information for both the unloading and the gate-out tasks.

In Import, the TPCS enables to speed-up the containers release by the terminal operators to the carriers, printing the DVRC document.

In export, the TPCS provides functions to:

  • Visualize the gate-in "status" of the containers;
  • Send VGM data for containers in export;
  • Send/Create Outward Loading List;
  • Generate the Outward Cargo Manifest (MMP).

In export, the TPCS has a specific function for the management of A22.

There is a third area dedicated to Customs Single Window. SW area enables to share information related to control tasks (paying attention to grant authorizations) by the control bodies.