As a requirement of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, which came into effect in July 2004, Hutchison Ports (UK) Limited (HPUK) has introduced a series of measures at all three of its ports to enhance security and tighten access controls, particularly to the terminals.

The ISPS Code requires ports to record all visitors to their facilities. As hauliers represent the largest group of visitors – for instance, making up some 4,000 movements in and out of the Port of Felixstowe each day - it is essential that HPUK introduces a way of recording their comings and goings, without adding to the time taken to process them through the gates.

Following extensive discussions with representatives from shipping lines, haulage companies, the Road Haulage Association, Felixstowe Port Users’ Association and Freight Transport Association, HPUK has decided to introduce an identity card for hauliers, known as RHIDES, for Road Haulier IDEntity System. The project has the support of TRANSEC, the Department for Transport’s security division, who were fully consulted during its development.

HPUK has been conducting trials of RHIDES with hauliers throughout 2006, and it has been established that a robust system is in place. It is now our intention to introduce a phased implementation of the RHIDES cards, as follows:

From 26th December 2006 - all drivers will be requested to produce RHIDES cards. If they do not have RHIDES cards, they will be asked to produce a form of photo card identification in order to gain access to the terminals. Drivers failing to produce RHIDES cards or photo card identification upon arrival at the in-gates may be denied access to the terminals, and will certainly be delayed.

From 1st March 2007 - a ‘no card, no container’ policy comes into effect, and drivers without RHIDES cards will not be granted access to the terminals under any circumstances.

It is, therefore, essential that those hauliers who have not yet registered their drivers for RHIDES cards do so at the earliest opportunity, via this website.

Hauliers are also requested to pass this information onto all their drivers, sub-contractors, importers/exporters who use merchant haulage, or indeed anyone who may be affected by these new requirements.

Those drivers who have been registered for RHIDES cards, but have yet to collect them, are encouraged to make an appointment with the Port Pass Office as soon as possible, on (01394) 604830.

As a reminder, please note the following points regarding the RHIDES card issuing process:

• Before you can apply for cards for your drivers, you will need to become a recognised company within RHIDES. To do this, you will need to complete an online form, at http://www.rhides.com/register.
  
  
• When your registration is received, you will be sent a letter confirming the ‘Card Management System’ website address, your ‘User Name’ and ‘Password’, a copy of the ‘Terms and Conditions’ and a ‘User Guide’. This will allow you to log on to RHIDES itself and start registering drivers.
  
  
• The Port will send a letter to the driver at your address asking him/her to arrange a time to report to the Port Pass Office and be issued with a card. This letter contains a Personal Identification Number (PIN), which will only be needed when the driver is issued with the card - it is not used at any time after this.

HPUK has also been in contact with other UK ports to gauge their interest in introducing a port-wide haulier identity card. Similar initiatives have been operating successfully in the ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp for some time.

Whilst the Port of Felixstowe already has an excellent record in combating container crime, the introduction of haulier identity cards is expected to provide a significant deterrent to container theft. In the longer term, the card could be used as a more secure method of releasing import containers to authorised drivers.

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