The Acting Commissioner of the Border Management Authority (BMA), Major General (Retired) David Chilembe, will today introduce a new BMA Port Health Management System (PHMS) at the Durban Harbour in KwaZulu-Natal.
The initiative aims to improve service efficiency and streamline processes for the maritime industry.
“The BMA PHMS is a quantum leap forward in the provision of port health services for shipping agents and authorised stakeholders in the maritime industry who submit port health requests on behalf of vessels, consignments and other relevant parties. The PHMS will provide a digital platform through which Port Health services can be requested, processed, monitored and managed electronically,” the authority said ahead of Tuesday's launch.
It further added that under the current processes, shipping agents submit service requests and supporting information by email. BMA Port Health officials receive the request, review, process, and respond to the request by email.
“This process makes it difficult for stakeholders to track progress of individual requests, obtain a consolidated view of requests, track actions and decisions, and retrieve historical information. The PHMS was developed to support the electronic delivery and management of port health services.
"Thus, the system will enable users to submit service requests electronically, upload supporting documentation, process requests through defined workflows, conduct and record inspections, manage invoicing and payments.”
It added that users will be able to apply for free pratiques electronically, apply for digital endorsements or stamping, create inspection requirements and schedule inspections, among other activities.
“In other words, the PHMS is more than an electronic replacement of email; it provides an end-to-end digital process for the services supported by the system. The system is set to reduce repetitive administrative activities and allow users to monitor outstanding work. Consequently, the digital system will provide greater visibility of the status and progress of requests by creating a structured record of a user’s transaction,” said the BMA.
Accessibility
The system is accessible through the BMA Port Health Management System portal. Authorised users will be able to log into the system using their approved credentials. The system supports Entra ID authentication and role-based access control. This means users must be authenticated before accessing the system, and access is restricted to authorised users.
Users will receive further prompts and information regarding registration, access credentials, training and the portal address as part of the implementation and rollout. In addition, users will be provided with support channels and user guidance as part of the PHMS implementation.
Milestone
The Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Leon Schreiber, has welcomed the piloting of the PHMS.
“Following the recent successful launch of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) and the enhanced electronic movement control system (EMCS 2.0), the first phase of the digital transformation of port health management processes by the BMA represents the latest milestone in the rapid modernisation of South Africa’s immigration and border management processes.
“ As with all the reforms we are pursuing, the PHMS not only digitises existing inefficient processes - it uses technology to completely transform the way in which such services are delivered. Through our sustained reform drive, South Africa is rapidly leapfrogging into a world leader across this ecosystem,” said the Minister.
With the Durban Harbour being the first to implement PHMS, the Acting Commissioner said the pilot project will provide valuable operational insights.
“The Durban Harbour is the first implementation site for PHMS where the system will be piloted. The pilot project will provide valuable operational insights that will inform subsequent rollout to other applicable ports of entry (PoEs) in the foreseeable future to establish a more consistent and digitally enabled port health service across the BMA’s PoEs”, said Chilembe.
Clients can access the BMA Port Health Management System on the BMA website at: www.bma.gov.za
-SAnews.gov.za
