Organisations and individuals that are in some ways using the Seychelles' ports are asked to join the Port Victoria Management Information System (PVMIS), a centralised information system where all the forms needed at the departure for boats and ships to conduct their business can be filled out earlier and in real time.

The system has incorporated several systems, such as accounts, procurement, accounting, and web-based solutions designed for real-time planning and management of port operations.

The Seychelles Port Authority (SPA) in conjunction with the Ministry of Transport made the request in a press conference on Monday.

The Minister for Transport, Antony Derjacques, told reporters that as of August 1, 2024, the phased rollout for the manual system will begin with the intention of transitioning to becoming fully digital.

"The system has been working in parallel with the manual system since it was soft launched in October 2023. The PVMIS, when fully functional, will eventually become mandatory because it has been noticed that as long as stakeholders still have the option of the manual system running parallel, they do not give priority to using the PVMIS and continue with the manual paper-based version which they are more comfortable with," he explained.

Derjacques added that as of August 1, there is a list of stakeholders including shipping agents and carrier companies, among others, that will be joining the system. He said that they intend to make the system mandatory by January 2025.

For the phasing out process starting in August, the minister clarified that the other processes will involve the import, from vessel stop-over declaration through the gate-out exit. This will be primarily for selected port users who have been using the system only for the past few months.

"This means that the manual system will be discarded almost completely for these selected users while the others, who for one reason or another have not been included in this first phase, will be added gradually at other roll-out phases which will be continuous until the end of the year. This will also allow SPA to manage the change process and continue to monitor and improve the system along the way," said Derjaques.

The chief executive of the SPA, Sony Payet, said that at the moment, there are 141 clearing agents in the country out of which only 30 are part of the official association for clearing agents.

Payet said that these clearing agents are also among the groups that SPA is asking to come forward to join the PVMIS.

"The PVMIS is meant to make the different port processes more efficient. This will benefit all stakeholders. For example, in the case of the clearing agents, with this system, they will not need to visit five different offices in person each time they are working, they can simply do it on their device," he explained.

The Mahe Quay or Port Victoria as it is most commonly known was officially opened on October 6, 1973, and remains one of the most important industrial fishing, cruise and super yacht port destinations in the southwest Indian Ocean.