organization – Digital Container Shipping AssociationDCSA announces that nine shipping companies that are members of the organization are committing to 100% adoption of an electronic bill of lading (eBL) based on DCSA standards by 2030. The transition from physical paper bills of lading could save $6.5 billion in direct costs to stakeholders, enable annual growth of 30- 40 billion dollars in global trade, change the customer experience and improve sustainability.
The bill of lading is one of the most important trade documents in container shipping. It functions as a document of ownership, a receipt for goods shipped and as a record of agreed terms and conditions. Maritime transport companies issue about 45 million bills of lading per year. In 2021, only 1.2% of them were electronic. Paper-based manual processes are expensive, time-consuming and environmentally unsustainable for stakeholders along complex supply chains. Paper-based processes cause failures when cargo cannot be released when original bills of lading or other title documents are delayed or cannot be manually issued in time. In contrast, digital processes allow data to flow instantly and securely, thereby reducing delays as well as waste.
The transition to document exchange through eBL will accelerate digitization for the benefit of customers, banks, customs and government authorities, maritime shipping service providers and all stakeholders in the supply chain.
Thomas Baga, CEO of DCSA noted: “The digitization of international trade holds enormous potential for the global economy by reducing friction, and because trade will bring prosperity and the eBL will promote trade, it will help lift millions out of the cycle of poverty.” This heralds the beginning of a new era in maritime container shipping, with the industry moving towards gradual automation and fully paperless trade. The digitization of documents has the power to transform international trade and requires cooperation from all stakeholders. I congratulate the leadership of the members of the organization, who united in order to achieve this important milestone.’
Soren Toft, CEO of MSC: “I am happy that the shipping carriers are taking this big step towards paperless trade. Our industry needs to accelerate digitization to help make shipping more efficient, more secure and a better experience for our customers. In addition to these benefits, going beyond 100% eBL will contribute to our climate goals, as we move towards the goal of zero emissions in 2050.”
Vincent Clark, CEO of Maersk: “This is an important step in the journey towards creating a digital standard for one of the most expensive and problematic components in the shipping industry. A fully digital bill of lading enables a smoother customer experience throughout the supply chain, and will in turn help democratize trade and reduce time and costs for all parties involved. The need for digitization in logistics is urgent, and the industry must speed up the process.’
Olivier Niebois, Senior Vice President, CMA CGM: “The goal of 100% eBL is an important milestone for the shipping industry, and paves the way for the digitalization of the entire value chain. This will help reduce lead times and costs, improve customer satisfaction and achieve corporate responsibility goals. As a company committed to a reliable, transparent and sustainable supply chain, CMA CGM will play an active role in this initiative.’
Rolf Havn Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd: “We have been offering our customers electronic bills of lading since last year in order to simplify and optimize the handling of documents for all stakeholders and to reduce our carbon footprint. The feedback from our customers has been very positive. The goal of 100% eBL by 2030 is an important part of the digitalization of global supply chains and will require a concerted effort from the industry to make it a reality.’
Jeremy Nixon, CEO of ONE: “As digitization accelerates faster, it is important that the maritime industry continues to evolve and adapt by adopting new global standards and transaction efficiencies. A significant acceleration in the use of eBL will pave the way for even greater interoperability in global supply chains. We at ONE are happy to take a central part in this and provide a better overall customer service experience.’
Eric Hsieh, President, Evergreen Marine: ״Evergreen Committed to the advantages offered by the universal eBL system – efficiency, innovation, reliability, sustainability. Each party will play a critical role in enabling the transition to digital trade documentation, andEvergreen Proud to play her part to help achieve the goal. We are very pleased to see DCSA members supporting this initiative which will bring tremendous benefit not only to the shipping industry, but to the entire supply chain and everyone who relies on international trade.’
Cheng-Mount Cheng, Chairman and CEO, Yang Ming: “Digitalization of bills of lading is an inevitable trend that will undoubtedly benefit the supply chain. However, the change requires support from all stakeholders and maritime carriers. company Yang Ming Acknowledging the DCSA association’s efforts to accelerate marine digitalization, and proud to be part of the 100% eBL goal.
Kim, Kyung Bae, President and CEO, HMM: “I am happy to join the joint effort towards the digitalization of the shipping industry. The adoption of electronic bills of lading will be a significant milestone in improving efficiency, reducing costs and improving security in the transportation service. HMM will continue to join all stakeholders in the industry to advance the digitalization process.’
Eli Glickman, President and CEO of ZIM: “As a company that promotes innovation, we were very proud to be pioneers in introducing electronic bills of lading already in 2017, on our WAVE platform. Since then we have come a long way, and have promoted beyond digital bills among many customers around the world. Being part of this industry-wide effort to standardize and achieve 100% eBL is a natural result of our digitalization efforts, our commitment to ESG values and our core values.’
The Digitalization of Container Shipping Association (DCSA) is a neutral non-profit group founded by major ocean carriers to digitize and standardize the container shipping industry. The mission of DCSA is to lead the industry towards systematic cooperation, and therefore the union drives initiatives to make container transport services transparent, reliable, easy to use, secure and environmentally friendly. DCSA’s open source standards are developed based on input from DCSA members, industry stakeholders, and technology experts from other industries. DCSA members include: MSC, MaerskCMA CGM, Lloyd’s tableONE, Evergreen, Yang MingHMM and integrated shipping services.