January 29 - The European Port Community Association (EPCSA) has appointed Alan Long, managing director of Felixstowe based Maritime Cargo Processing, as its chairman.

Piet-Jan ten Thije (pictured below) - strategy and business director of Rotterdam headquartered Portbase - is now vice chairman of the trade association.

The EPCSA was formed less than two years ago and its mission is to explain the vital role that port community systems (electronic platforms enabling secure exchange of information) play in the supply chain; and to ensure the European decision makers do not 're-invent the wheel' when moving towards a single windows environment for the electronic reporting of data.

Long will take over from Pascal Ollivier, director of corporate development at SOGET, while ten Thije assumes responsibility from DAKOSY's sales department director, Evelyn Eggers.

"As we move forward, we must build on what we have started and already achieved. We will continue to develop our relationship with DG Taxud and DG Move, as well as with the United Nations, the World Customs Organization, the European Maritime Safety Association (EMSA) and other European and international organisations in order to get our message across," stated Long.

www.epcsa.eu