Strengthening Identity Access Management to Reduce Fraud in European Ports
How digital trust frameworks can safeguard the gateways of global trade
European ports are among the most complex operational environments in the world. Every day, thousands of ships, trucks and containers move through a dense ecosystem of customs agents, freight forwarders, stevedores and port authorities. This scale and diversity make ports highly efficient hubs – but also prime targets for fraud and infiltration.
Reports on criminal activity within EU ports have exposed how organised networks exploit procedural loopholes, particularly in identity and access control. Common methods include “PIN-code fraud”, in which criminals obtain legitimate container reference numbers and use them to collect goods unlawfully, or insider credential abuse to alter customs data or shipment routes. These vulnerabilities expose how legacy, paper-based, and siloed identity systems struggle to meet the demands of a digital, interconnected supply chain.
The Identity Gap in Port Operations
Despite advances in cybersecurity, many ports still rely on fragmented access systems that separate physical and digital credentials. Drivers might present paper gate passes, while operators authenticate through locally managed logins. Contractors and visiting crew often share credentials or temporary accounts, leaving limited traceability.
The absence of an integrated Identity and Access Management (IAM) framework means that:
- Access rights are difficult to verify across multiple operators and authorities.
- Temporary credentials often remain active beyond their legitimate use.
- Actions taken in port community systems (PCS) are not always auditable to a verifiable entity.
This fragmented environment provides fertile ground for fraud, smuggling and data manipulation. A single compromised credential can lead to unauthorised container retrieval, manipulation of customs declarations, or access to critical logistics systems.
Building Digital Trust with IAM
A well-governed IAM ecosystem brings discipline and transparency to this complexity. By binding access rights to cryptographically verifiable digital credentials – such as the verifiable Legal Entity Identifier (vLEI) – ports can create a unified layer of trust that links people, organisations and systems.
Modern IAM frameworks enable:
- Federated Access Management: ensuring all participants – from customs to carriers – authenticate via a trusted, shared identity network.
- Role-based authorisation: granting permissions that match each stakeholder’s operational role, automatically expiring when no longer needed.
- Traceable actions: recording every transaction or system change against a verifiable identity, reducing insider risk and improving auditability.
- Interoperability: allowing identities and credentials to be recognised across ports, shipping lines and national systems.
- Regulatory compliance: aligning identity governance with EU frameworks such as eIDAS 2.0 and the EU Trusted Digital Trade Framework, ensuring auditability and adherence to cross-border trade regulations.
By leveraging cryptographic proofs and secure wallet-based credential storage, IAM systems can prevent credential cloning, detect tampering, and enforce compliance with data integrity standards. The result is a tangible reduction in fraud exposure, fewer manual processes, and a stronger foundation for secure trade digitalisation.
Towards a Secure, Interoperable Future
Fraud at European ports is not only a financial issue but also a trust issue. Every unauthorised access event erodes confidence in digital trade, disrupts supply chains and burdens honest operators with additional compliance costs.
As ports modernise through digital twins, blockchain documentation, and smart-container systems, Identity Access Management becomes the connective tissue linking technology to trust. Without it, even the most advanced platforms remain vulnerable to misuse.
By adopting a verifiable, interoperable IAM infrastructure with cryptographic safeguards, European ports can move beyond fragmented credentials toward a secure, transparent and fraud-resistant trade ecosystem.
TradeVeris is pioneering solutions that combine verifiable credentials, digital wallets, and cross-border interoperability – helping the maritime and logistics sectors transition from paper-based processes to trusted digital identities.
Together, we can make port fraud not only harder to commit – but easier to prevent.
For further insight into how IAM and verifiable credentials can strengthen your organisation’s trade compliance and fraud controls, contact the TradeVeris team at info@tradeveris.io