Mandatory electronic reporting

Mandatory electronic reporting, CCNR (Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine) This page provides background information about mandatory electronic reporting for shipping on the Rhine and other rivers, referred to as the E-Meldplicht in Dutch.

• What is mandatory electronic reporting?
• Where does mandatory electronic reporting apply?
• What does mandatory electronic reporting involve?
• BICS and mandatory electronic reporting.

What is mandatory electronic reporting?

Certain voyage and cargo information must be delivered to the competent authorities electronically. This obligation is described in the following regulations (amongst others):

• Rhine Shipping Police Regulations , article 12.01 and in 
• article 2 of the Communication regulations for national inland waters.

Both sets of regulations stipulate mandatory electronic reporting for vessels transporting containers, regardless of the content (since December 2015 the RPR article 12.01 has been updated).

The requirement for mandatory electronic reporting is based on the fact that the consequences of an accident involving a container ship can be limited if the authorities have access to the greatest possible amount of information about containers and cargoes. This is why reporting information about containers that do not contain a hazardous cargo is also important. As accuratelyas possible, preferably including the container number, the total weight of each container and the stowage positions (mandatory) in the ship. This is already provided for in the current standard for electronic reporting in inland shipping.

Where does mandatory electronic reporting apply?

The obligation for the above-mentioned ships to report voyage and cargo details electronically applies on the Rhine and on all waterways where the Inland Waterways Police Regulation is in effect.

What does mandatory electronic reporting involve?

The report must be sent before the ship departs, or before it enters one of the previously named river areas. In addition, a new electronic report must be sent each time the voyage and cargo details change.

BICS and mandatory electronic reporting.

BICS generates a message type that complies with the European standard (EU164/2010, ERINOT 1.2). This ensures that the voyage and cargo information you have entered can be received as a valid electronic report by the competent authorities. 

Even if you are exempted from mandatory electronic reporting, you can obviously use BICS to generate voluntary electronic reports. The page entitled "Requesting BICS" provides information on how to obtain a version of BICS.