Banks

Pressure is mounting to digitalise trade documentation, especially since 9 of the 10 largest container carriers started the movement in 2019 to standardisation and digitalisation and some of your bank’s biggest customers are underway with their own digital initiatives. While it ultimately has benefits – fewer errors, more streamlined straight through processes, lower fraud risk, increased sustainability – creating bespoke channels for exchanging digital documentation with every stakeholder is prohibitively expensive. And then getting thousands of customers on board with making the switch may seem an impossible project. On surface, a real business case for transformation from paper - B/L to eBL is not that obvious,  yet, industry momentum is pushing you in that direction. 

DCSA collaborates with its members (nine of the top 10 container carriers), government bodies, cargo owners and other relevant supply chain stakeholders to develop standards that allow the seamless end-to-end exchange of digital trade documentation. Using interoperable data models and APIs, DCSA standards enable straight-through digital processing of all container trade-related documentation, increasing accuracy and security while reducing costs. DCSA works closely with eBL solution providers on platform interoperability to ensure seamless eBL transfer across platforms. Interoperability will stimulate and facilitate large-scale adoption of eBL. Standardised digitalisation of trade documentation will enhance the sustainability of international trade by reducing waste related to printing, handling, storage and transportation of paper documents.