Requires Information from ship, captain providing this info is a legal requirement MSN 1831: CERS Info, Port Specific info, additionally more routine requirements such as Cargo C/P info, Ships requirements, bunkers , water, stores, crew join/leave/hospital etc.etc.
Ships Agent then inputs the data received into the Port Web based interface where the Port Control will allocate berth etc and also ensure that the CERS required information (controlled by MCA) is passed on. MSN 1831 makes clear that the port authority is legally responsible for this since 01/04/2017.
CERS has 7 mandatory sections of information which are: 1 Summary,2 Vessel detail,3 Voyage detail, 4 Waste, 5 Security, 6 Hazardous Materials Incoming, 7 Hazardous Materials outgoing
CERS uses Excel worksheet/book system that allows the information to be shared and since 5/5/16 has been the UK conduit to share information with Safe Sea Net (SSN)
Sea Safe Net (SSN)= Data sharing of shipping movements within European area. Based in Lisbon.
Summary of Safe Sea Net
• Vessel traffic monitoring system
• Based on monitoring AIS (radio) broadcasts from ships
• Covers all European coastal waters (over 20,000 vessels)
• >12,000 ships/day tracked in EU waters
• >100,000,000 AIS positions recorded per month
• Service operated by EMSA, provided to Member States authorities
• Uses: traffic management, search-and-rescue, banned vessel tracking
Since MCA are Port State Control in UK the vessels data in CERS including any PSC inspection data is added to Paris MoU database
Other European nations have databases that fulfill a similar function as CERS sharing data with the Sea Safe Net (SSN). Noted in MSN 1831