The BICS website is intended for shipping entrepreneurs (skippers) who use BICS and the Message Service (HERMES). Rijkswaterstaat strives to provide all information clearly, completely and in an accessible way.
Accessibility
Rijkswaterstaat pays a great deal of attention to usability, accessibility and build quality. We follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 as much as possible.
Some parts of the website may be less suitable for users with visual impairments. This is mainly due to limitations in the Content Management System (CMS) used, which does not allow all necessary adjustments to the HTML code.
What does this mean for you?
- In some browsers, the design or accessibility may differ from what was intended.
- The website works fully in current versions of Edge, Firefox and Chrome.
- For less accessible parts, you can request a PDF version if necessary.
Cookies
This website uses so-called functional cookies, small text files containing information that are temporarily stored on your computer. These cookies remember certain session settings and enable functionalities on the website (including forms). These cookies are necessary to link user actions (from an otherwise anonymous user) to a specific visit session of this website. Under no circumstances is this information collected and/or used for commercial purposes.
Privacy statement
The way Rijkswaterstaat handles personal data is described in the privacy statement on this website (see Privacy statement).
For data reported via BICS, the rules set out in the "Privacy Regulations Traffic Registration Systems (Rijkswaterstaat)" on wetten.nl apply.
Translations
Some parts of this website have been translated using artificial intelligence (AI). Although we aim to ensure accuracy, minor imperfections or deviations from the original text may occur. In case of doubt, we recommend consulting the original (Dutch) version or contacting us.
PDFs
Specification
PDF documents must be saved in an accessible format that can be read by accessibility software.
Cause
WCAG 2.2 sets high requirements for PDF documents. Creating PDFs that meet these requirements requires specific knowledge and tooling. However, many PDF documents are supplied externally, which means these guidelines cannot always be met.
Consequence
Some PDF documents available on the BICS website may not fully comply with the WCAG 2.2 guidelines. As a result, accessibility software may experience difficulties interpreting these files.
Alternatives
As a solution, the BICS website applies a set of minimum requirements for PDF documents:
- The format is PDF/A-1a or PDF/UA-1.
- The text must be selectable and copyable.
- The PDF does not contain scanned documents.
- The PDF does not contain personal data.
Exception: Documents supplied by external parties.
Measures
To limit the number of less accessible documents, the BICS website sets requirements for new PDFs. These PDF documents must at least meet the criteria listed under 'Alternatives'. In addition, a large number of PDF documents have been rebuilt and provided in another format that does comply with the guidelines.
Old content
Specification
This concerns all types of documents that have lost their current relevance, such as old news items and/or documents. Various guidelines may apply to these.
Cause
The BICS website does not retroactively modify archives and older documents. Doing so would require disproportionate time and resources.
Consequence
The consequences of this decision are limited because all current information is accessible.
Alternatives
The BICS website provides the current version of files and documents on the website (as much as possible in accordance with applicable guidelines) when these are available.
Measures
To limit the number of less accessible documents, the BICS website sets strict requirements for new content and documents.