Article • 10.12.2025

Port of change: German Ports makes the transition easy.

The shift to the digital release is now underway

On October 1st, digital container release via the German Ports IT platform was successfully launched. From an IT perspective, the switch has been flipped. However, the previously-used PIN process cannot be so easily erased from people's minds and workflows overnight. The operators of the German Ports IT platform, DAKOSY and dbh, are assisting companies as they make the transition.

Good to know

Tutorials
Often, it's just a minor issue that causes problems when using a new interface. The tutorials published on the German Ports website show you the solutions in less than two minutes. Topics covered include pick-up authorizations, downgrade-to-pin, and administration.

Individual support
Sometimes you need someone to listen or a personalized email response because your question is very specific. German Ports has set up a support team to meet these needs. To ensure that we can be easily reached during the start-up phase, we have added additional staff to our team.

FAQs
Someone else may have had exactly the same concerns before. This is easy to check in the FAQ section, where you will find answers to all the questions we receive on a regular basis.

Container release, or the new digital release authorization, moves between many parties: from the ocean carrier to the freight forwarder to the terminal and the various modes of transport (truck, rail, feeder). DAKOSY and dbh are connecting these industries to the German Ports IT platform in stages. “During on-boarding, we started with the shipping companies as the source of the process and then successively expanded the user groups. This enabled us to ensure that the digital release process is operating reliably right from the start,” explains DAKOSY board member Ulrich Wrage.

All industries along the release chain are now digitally integrated. The initial stress tests have also been successfully conducted: the process runs smoothly right up to pick-up by the trucker.

With a safety net and a cushioned floor
Of course, during the transition phase, there may be a few bumps along the way. Everyone knows the situation: even though you feel like you're doing everything correctly, things just aren't working right. That's why German Ports has temporarily introduced a fallback option. “Any participant along the entire chain can trigger a downgrade to PIN and continue working with that,” says Wrage, describing the practical solution.

This gives the port industry the added peace of mind that no container will be left stranded simply because one participant in the chain hasn't yet adjusted to the routine of the to the digital release procedure. Nor is there a hard cut-off deadline for the PIN-based process that has been in use for decades; it is being phased out gradually. The end of that phase is clearly defined: once all terminals are connected, the downgrade to PIN will no longer be possible.

Strong community backing
The entire port community supports this decision, with the goal of preventing drug smuggling through the German seaports by digitalizing the release process. In over 100 rounds of consultations, stakeholders from the ports of Hamburg, Bremerhaven, and Wilhelmshaven developed the processes together and agreed on a common denominator that complies with both practical and legal requirements. The state laws on port security, which have since been amended, now form the binding legal framework for the digital container release process.

The corresponding change management affects all industries involved. The current focus is on embedding the new processes into companies' operations and establishing the knowledge structurally. “We are not only providing technical support for the transition, but also offering comprehensive assistance with the implementation process.” German Ports is helping new participants with a package of measures tailored to their specific needs. These include webinars, tutorials, individual support, and FAQs.

The benefits of automation within reach
The next few weeks will be devoted to familiarizing participants with the new processes. “We are impressed by the commitment shown by everyone involved across all ports,” explains Wrage. He believes that compliance with legal requirements is only the starting point. Once the digital release process has become established, further effects will follow. Wrage expects faster import processes, lower error rates, and fewer empty runs.