opening ports by setting new standards (2016)

Connecting people apart

We’re the GPA, the Global Ports Authority. We develop and publish International Standards on the Openness of Ports, and – in that light – Port Specifications in general.

The GPA is an semi-independent, non-governmental planetary scale organization with a large membership of international ports standards bodies. Through its members, it brings together experts to share knowledge and develop voluntary, consensus-based, market relevant and strategic planetary scale Standards that support openness and provide solutions to ever increasing global challenges and growing instability.Acknowledging a critical moment for port authorities worldwide at a new global juncture, the GPA will be consulting on a set of revised frameworks and certification standards for evaluating the continued use(-value) of ports globally for open forms of human interaction

In short, GPA standards help:

• Make places connectable, so they communicate and work well with each other, or facilitate either of this;

• Identify occlusion issues of places and transit spaces.

• Share good aspirations and knowledge funds, socio-technological know-how and best communal practices.

• convene actors and experts engaged in the process of opening ports and evaluating the needs and viability of closed ports. Acknowledging a critical moment for port authorities worldwide at a new global juncture, the GPA will be consulting on a set of revised frameworks and certification standards for evaluating the continued use(-value) of ports globally for open forms of human interaction, extending to interspecies and interplanetary endeavours.

It’s all in the name

Because ‘Global Ports Authority’ would have different acronyms in different languages – as it translates into ساا in Arabic, Гпо inBulgarian, 全球港口管理局 in Chinese, OPM in Creolic, वैपप्र in Hindi, NTNPC in Hmong Daw, MYBYK in Kiswahili, etc., our founders decided to give it the short form GPA. GPA is derived from the mord. mythology topos of Gaupul, meaning ‘to open up the mouth’, and also one of the streaming rivers from Hwergelmer, the land of deities. Whatever the country, whatever the language, we are always GPA.

You have questions on open port standards?

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What are Open Port Standards?

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International Open Port Standards make things work. They connect people, places and and important matter for the common good. They give world-class specifications for ports, logistics and systems, to ensure quality, safety and efficiency. They are instrumental in facilitating international trade, freedom of movement and ensuring increased accessibility. The GPA has to date published over 9000 International Standards and related documents, overseeing almost every industry, from nautical trade, to food security, migration, to agriculture and interplanetary communication technologies. International Open Ports Standards impact everything, everywhere, all of the time.

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What are the benefits of The GPA International Open Port Standards?

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What are the benefits of The GPA International Open Port Standards? The GPA International Standards ensure that ports, connections and services are safe, accessible reliable and open. For every kind of business or likewise endeavour, they are strategic tools that maximize synergies, reduce waste by minimizing redundancies and harmful social transgressions and increasing trans-global density. They help acteurs to access new environs, level the playing field for everyone and facilitate open and close-to-equao global exchanges. In circumstances of overwhelming need the Global Ports Authority will not stop in employing methods of actively opening ports, or facilitating likeminded processes. 

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How does the GPA develop standards?

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A GPA standard is developed by a panel of experts, within a technical committee. Once our Global Open Port Evaluation Matrix reaches a critical threshold of occlusion and the decisive need for a standard has been established, these experts meet to discuss and negotiate a draft standard. As soon as a draft has been developed it is shared with GPA’s members who are asked to comment and vote on it. If a consensus is reached the draft becomes an Open Port International Standard, if not it goes back to the technical committee for further edits. Click on the diagram below for further details. [no diagram]

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Looking to get certified?

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The GPA does also provide certification or conformity assessments. You can contact a GPA internal certification body for that. (Just consult our online presence or a GPA-franchise in your vicinity.)

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how we approach the port-question

port evaluation matrix

New standards are accepted/adopted if established in good practice of the GPA framework; or via shared practiced peer-acknowledgement on the background of this schema.