PSA Breakbulk in the Port of Antwerp-Bruges announced that it has become the first shipping terminal in Belgium to control visitors' access to its facilities through biometric facial recognition.

PSA Breakbulk installed this new technology, provided by the Ghent-based startup NineID to significantly increase security at its facilities and thereby abide by the new stricter ISPS security regulations that recently came into force.

In the announcement, PSA said NineID, the supplier of advanced Biometric Access Control, demonstrates that safety is of utmost importance.

They received recognition for their Biometric Access Control Solution from the Minister of Justice and the North Sea.

"With this, NineID is among the first companies in Belgium to comply with the innovative maritime security law that has been in effect since January 1," it said.

PSA Breakbulk, one of the largest steel and general cargo handlers in the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, is the first terminal in Belgium to use NineID's biometric access control that relies on facial authentication.

PSA added that this new technology provides increased control over who enters its facilities and, more specifically, its Project Cargo Ecosystem on the south side of the Churchill dock.

"With the introduction of biometric facial authentication, we are increasing surveillance and access control at our terminal," said Dennis Verbeeck, general manager of PSA Belgium's Non-Container Division.

"With this new technology, we now exceed the increasingly stringent ISPS regulations. NineID's facial verification biometric access control system offers an unprecedented level of precision and security, which is vital for the protection of our maritime operations."

Yves Stevens, regional director of HSS EuroMed & Americas, noted that the PSA Group "highly value safety & security."

"We, therefore, regularly invest in new state-of-the-art technologies. We will continue to evaluate the hands-on experience that we are now gaining at PSA Breakbulk to see if we can implement it in our other business units within EuroMed and the Americas," he said.

NineID combines advanced facial recognition technology with optimised visitor and contractor workflows, resulting in a smooth and secure authentication process.

The announcement said with its user-friendly interface and impressive accuracy, the platform streamlines access control, increasing efficiency while maintaining the highest security standards.

In addition to PSA Breakbulk, NineID's clients include TVH, A.S. Watson Group and World Forum The Hague.