diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 2d4b263f5..bdef559b3 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -313,13 +313,13 @@ limitations under the License.
 
   <distributionManagement>
     <repository>
-      <id>plexus-releases</id>
-      <name>Plexus Release Repository</name>
-      <url>https://oss.sonatype.org/service/local/staging/deploy/maven2/</url>
+      <id>sonatype-central-portal</id>
+      <name>Sonatype Central Portal</name>
+      <url>https://repo.maven.apache.org/maven2</url>
     </repository>
     <snapshotRepository>
-      <id>plexus-snapshots</id>
-      <name>Plexus Snapshot Repository</name>
+      <id>${plexusDistMgmtSnapshotsId}</id>
+      <name>${plexusDistMgmtSnapshotsName}</name>
       <url>${plexusDistMgmtSnapshotsUrl}</url>
     </snapshotRepository>
     <!-- site distribution management must be override in child projects -->
@@ -340,7 +340,11 @@ limitations under the License.
     <maven.compiler.proc>none</maven.compiler.proc>
     <maven.compiler.showDeprecation>true</maven.compiler.showDeprecation>
     <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
-    <plexusDistMgmtSnapshotsUrl>https://oss.sonatype.org/content/repositories/plexus-snapshots</plexusDistMgmtSnapshotsUrl>
+
+    <plexusDistMgmtSnapshotsId>sonatype-central-portal</plexusDistMgmtSnapshotsId>
+    <plexusDistMgmtSnapshotsName>Sonatype Central Snapshots</plexusDistMgmtSnapshotsName>
+    <plexusDistMgmtSnapshotsUrl>https://central.sonatype.com/repository/maven-snapshots</plexusDistMgmtSnapshotsUrl>
+
     <project.build.outputTimestamp>2025-05-23T18:11:49Z</project.build.outputTimestamp>
     <gpg.useagent>true</gpg.useagent>
     <spotless-maven-plugin.version>2.44.5</spotless-maven-plugin.version>
@@ -348,9 +352,16 @@ limitations under the License.
     <mavenFluidoSkinVersion>2.1.0</mavenFluidoSkinVersion>
     <mavenSurefireVersion>3.5.3</mavenSurefireVersion>
     <junit5Version>5.13.0</junit5Version>
+    <njord.version>0.7.1</njord.version>
     <spotless.action>apply</spotless.action>
     <sisuMavenPluginVersion>0.9.0.M4</sisuMavenPluginVersion>
     <invoker.streamLogsOnFailures>true</invoker.streamLogsOnFailures>
+
+    <!-- njord configuration -->
+    <njord.autoPublish>true</njord.autoPublish>
+    <njord.publishingType>automatic</njord.publishingType>
+    <njord.waitForStates>true</njord.waitForStates>
+    <njord.enabled>false</njord.enabled>
   </properties>
 
   <dependencyManagement>
@@ -368,6 +379,11 @@ limitations under the License.
   <build>
     <pluginManagement>
       <plugins>
+        <plugin>
+          <groupId>eu.maveniverse.maven.plugins</groupId>
+          <artifactId>njord</artifactId>
+          <version>${njord.version}</version>
+        </plugin>
         <!-- set versions of common plugins for reproducibility, ordered alphabetically -->
         <plugin>
           <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
@@ -683,6 +699,13 @@ limitations under the License.
         </executions>
       </plugin>
     </plugins>
+    <extensions>
+      <extension>
+        <groupId>eu.maveniverse.maven.njord</groupId>
+        <artifactId>extension</artifactId>
+        <version>${njord.version}</version>
+      </extension>
+    </extensions>
   </build>
 
   <reporting>
@@ -786,6 +809,11 @@ limitations under the License.
     </profile>
     <profile>
       <id>plexus-release</id>
+      <properties>
+        <minimalMavenBuildVersion>3.9.0</minimalMavenBuildVersion>
+        <!-- use njord during release -->
+        <njord.enabled>true</njord.enabled>
+      </properties>
       <build>
         <plugins>
           <!-- Create a source-release artifact that contains the fully buildable
diff --git a/src/site/apt/index.apt b/src/site/apt/index.apt
deleted file mode 100644
index c09df94df..000000000
--- a/src/site/apt/index.apt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
- -----
- Plexus Parent POM
- -----
- Hervé Boutemy
- -----
- 2018-05-06
- -----
-
-Plexus Parent POM
-
-  Plexus Parent POM defines common {{{./plugin-management.html}plugins}}, reporting and release configuration.
diff --git a/src/site/markdown/index.md b/src/site/markdown/index.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4570112ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/site/markdown/index.md
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+# Plexus Parent POM
+
+Plexus Parent POM defines common [plugins](./plugin-management.html), reporting and release configuration.
+
+## Preparing the environment for publishing vie the Central Portal
+
+Release manager should include the following sections in your personal `settings.xml`:
+
+```xml
+<settings xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/SETTINGS/1.2.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
+          xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/SETTINGS/1.2.0 https://maven.apache.org/xsd/settings-1.2.0.xsd">
+  <servers>
+    <server>
+      <id>sonatype-central-portal</id>
+      <username>jqhacker</username> <!-- central portal token -->
+      <password>SeCrEt</password> <!-- central portal token -->
+      <configuration>
+        <njord.publisher>sonatype-cp</njord.publisher>
+        <njord.releaseUrl>njord:template:release-sca</njord.releaseUrl>
+      </configuration>
+    </server>
+  </servers>
+</settings>
+```
+
+Tokens can be obtained from https://central.sonatype.com/account
+