In the seaports of Bremerhaven, Wilhelmshaven and Hamburg, the new digital release procedure for import containers—the "Secure Release Order" (SRO)—was successfully introduced on October 1, according to a press release. With the launch, the project marks, especially for the safety of employees in the seaports and in the hinterland, an important milestone, the cooperation partners are convinced: Through cross-border collaboration of politics, port industry and the two software houses dbh and Dakosy, a common platform could be built, according to them.
Risk of misuse reduce
The goal of the joint project, according to the announcement, is the introduction of a standardized, secure and fully digital process for releasing import containers. At the center is the new "digital right to pickup," which fully replaces the previously used PIN-based release. This should not only increase
transparency in container handling but also significantly reduce the risk of abuse, data leaks and smuggling.
The SRO relies on a modern role and permissions management that precisely controls access to container data and effectively prevents abuse by unauthorized third parties. Through a detailed and easily auditable documentation for the competent investigative authorities, future processes should be much more transparent than before. In light of growing global trade volumes and international security requirements, secure "German Ports" will safeguard the import processes for the future, according to the cooperation partners.
State laws regulate the legal framework
As operators of the "Port Community Systems" (PCS) in Bremerhaven/Wilhelmshaven (dbh) and in Hamburg (Dakosy), the two IT service providers designed the project together with partners from the port industry and brought it to implementation.
The amended state
laws on port security provide, according to the press release, a binding legal framework for the digital container release process and define clear responsibilities for all participants in the import process. This should not only increase legal certainty for companies but also pave the way for uniform standards in port logistics. The changes in the law are the result of intensive collaboration between the port authorities, state governments and industry representatives – a strong signal of a united front between state policy and business to strengthen the German seaports in international competition. In Hamburg and Bremen, the respective laws come into force this year, while Lower Saxony is expected to join in 2027.
“With the Secure Release Order we show how end-to-end digitization in port logistics can unite security, efficiency and user-friendliness. The
close alignment with political actors and our partners in the ports was a central success factor in practical implementation,” explains Holger Hübner, authorized signatory and Head of Port Solutions at dbh Logistics IT AG.
Phased rollout builds reliability
The rollout of the SRO is deliberately staged in several steps to enable all participants, regardless of their size or level of digitalization, a secure and stable transition. Since October 1, 2025, shipping lines can release their containers PIN-free through German Ports.
Concurrently, freight forwarders, importers and carriers will be gradually integrated into the system. In a subsequent step, the mandatory use of the SRO process begins at one selected terminal in Hamburg and in Bremerhaven or Wilhelmshaven. Subsequently, the nationwide rollout follows at all other terminals, with the release activated according to a predefined
