If you are a new Portbase customer, you need to register with IAMconnected before you can sign up for the desired service/services. This Portbase login service provides 24/7 access to the secure and reliable Port Community System (PCS) and several other organisations’ services. Every company and every employee need their own IAMconnected account.
Security comes first for Portbase. Only the right people can access the data in the PCS. Portbase therefore requires verification of the identity of everyone who logs in. So, who you are and which organisation you represent. IAMconnected was created for this purpose.
Multi-factor authentication as an added security step
The login service provides secure access to the PCS and uses multi-factor authentication to ensure this. In addition to a username and password, you confirm your identity when logging in by completing an additional step. It can be compared to how banks and DigiD work. IAMconnected offers two options for multi-factor authentication. The first is to enter a six-digit code that you receive through a special authenticator app on your phone. Alternatively, you can use a security key. This is a small device that plugs in your PC or laptop’s USB port.
Company and personal accounts
IAMConnected offers both company and personal accounts. Every company that becomes a Portbase customer must have a company account with IAMconnected. Various checks are carried out during the application process. The main check is conducted with the Dutch or a foreign Chamber of Commerce to verify the company’s registration and the authorised signatory. This authorised signatory must approve the application and confirm their identity using an app on their phone. As an employee using the PCS, you need a personal account. You can create one on IAMconnected using your company email address, not with a private Gmail address, for example. Once this is done, the last step is to link your personal account to the account of the company you work for in IAMconnected. From that point on, as an employee, you can access the Portbase service/services requested by the company. For security reasons, sharing personal accounts with colleagues or using group accounts is not permitted. Portbase’s terms and conditions state that each user must have their own IAMconnected account.
Quarterly check as additional security measure
For companies, adding a new employee to the IAMconnected account is straightforward. The process is different when an employee leaves the company. Deleting the account is sometimes overlooked. A quarterly check was therefore introduced to IAMconnected in early 2024. Each quarter, companies are asked by email to confirm that all registered employees are still employed by them, using a list in IAMconnected. It is a welcome addition to the existing security measures, as the first check revealed. Approximately 10% of all users registered in IAMconnected were no longer employed by the company. It is therefore essential that all companies consistently carry out the quarterly check. Companies that do not comply may eventually face measures from Portbase, such as employees being unable to log in.
Also for services from other organisations
As a participant in the Portbase community, you can also use IAMconnected to log in securely to a number of other organisations’ services. This eliminates the need for a separate password and automatically applies multi-factor authentication. Currently, IAMconnected can also be used to log in to applications from the Port of Rotterdam Authority (My Port, King, Portability), Dutch Pilotage BV (GIDS) and ECT (MyTerminal). Further expansion is underway.
Security today
IAMconnected’s security aligns with Portbase’s information security policy, which is based on ISO27001. Both visible and invisible measures ensure the availability, continuity and security of the digital Portbase environment. More information about this can be found at Portbase.com. A range of additional measures have been implemented specifically for IAMconnected.
Increasingly user-friendly
On IAMconnected, creating a personal account is fairly simple. Registering a company takes considerably more time in comparison. After all, security is paramount for Portbase. Identities must be 100% authentic. Having all the necessary information at hand makes the application process smoother. Portbase strives to make it progressively easier to use. For example, organisations will soon be able to update their data online independently. When developing new functionality, great emphasis is placed on user-friendliness. Customer feedback is continuously gathered through various channels to further enhance user-friendliness. Comprehensive help for using IAMconnected is also available at any time of the day via Portbase Support.
