HMM celebrates landmark electronic bill of lading transaction

The Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA) has provided details of the world’s first successful standards-based, interoperable electronic bill of lading (eBL) transaction, something the organisation claims marks a “significant advancement toward secure, scalable, and truly paperless global trade”.

Despite the availability of digital alternatives for years, eBL adoption has remained constrained by platform fragmentation. The industry’s digital transformation has been hindered by siloed eBL platforms requiring all transaction participants to use the same solution provider. This approach has prevented the widespread adoption needed to capture the estimated $6.5bn in direct cost savings and $40bn in increased trade that eBLs can deliver, according to McKinsey & Company research.

This successful interoperable eBL transaction represents a breakthrough in addressing these challenges, powered by DCSA’s interoperability framework.

Commenting on the successful transaction, John Kim, senior manager of digital at HMM, said: “It was an incredible experience to participate in this interoperability pilot as a carrier and see eBL being sent to our shipper, Suzano, on two different platforms in real time.”

“This achievement shows how collaboration can unlock real value and drive efficiencies across the supply chain,” remarked Targe Bock, COO Suzano Europe.

Bojan Čekrlić, CEO of CargoX, said: “Global trade needs multiple parties to work, and the digitalisation of trade needs those parties to share data and documentation easily. Concerns around what is truly interoperable and what changes must be made to existing systems have held back adoption of innovations such as eBL. With interoperable eBL, we’ve overcome that obstacle.”

More eBL transactions are coming up. Enigio and CargoX are preparing an interoperable transaction with HMM and a Fortune 500 shipper in Q2. WaveBL and TradeGo are preparing their first interoperable transaction with DCSA member-carrier ONE and a large freight forwarder.