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Standards for cargo owners

Boost efficiency, cut costs and ensure reliability

Poor data flows lead to limited visibility

Currently, the container shipping industry is extremely fragmented in terms of data, processes and technology. This lack of alignment prevents interoperability, which hinders collaboration, decreases reliability and impacts the effectiveness of virtually every container shipping process. Poor data flows lead to limited visibility into the status and location of vessels, cargo and equipment. Manual data entry and paper-based documentation slow down processes and increase human error. For logistics managers, a lack of access to accurate, timely digital data increases operational costs by creating inefficiency, uncertainty and waste. 

The essential digital foundation for a better shipping experience

DCSA envisions a fully interoperable global trade ecosystem in which all key players have on-demand access to accurate, timely digital shipping data and documents. By aligning data, processes and technology, DCSA standards allow trade participants to automatically exchange critical information in real-time. This not only ensures visibility into the end-to-end cargo journey, it improves operational efficiency and lowers costs by eliminating error-prone manual processes. Ultimately, widespread adoption of DCSA standards will enable logistics managers to make more effective business decisions and improve resource utilisation, which will increase the value and sustainability of all shipping operations.  

Join DCSA+

The DCSA+ partnership programme offers a unique opportunity to collaborate with industry leaders, drive innovation, and accelerate interoperability. ​​
​​
Connect with key stakeholders to exchange insights and explore opportunities. Accelerate your digital journey with expert support for implementing standards. Contribute to future digital standards.​​

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Standards for cargo owners

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Our standards allow real-time collaboration between container shipping stakeholders. As a cargo owner, you can integrate APIs built on our standards into your operations and become part of our mission to foster industry-wide standardisation in the container shipping sector.

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Sign the eBL Declaration

In collaboration with the Future International Trade (FIT) Alliance, we have launched the "Declaration of the electronic Bill of Lading." This declaration marks an important step in making global trade more efficient, reliable, sustainable, and secure.

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Numbers

$18bn

$18 billion ecosystem gains from paperless trade through faster document handling and reduced human error (Mckinsey, 2023).

$35bn

$30 - $40 billion global trade growth resulting from 100% digitalisation through reduced trade friction (Mckinsey, 2023).

28,000

Trees saved per year as a result of paperless trade (Mckinsey, 2023).

$18bn

$18 billion ecosystem gains from paperless trade through faster document handling and reduced human error (Mckinsey, 2023).

$35bn

$30 - $40 billion global trade growth resulting from 100% digitalisation through reduced trade friction (Mckinsey, 2023).

28,000

Trees saved per year as a result of paperless trade (Mckinsey, 2023).

Get in action

Our standards allow real-time collaboration between container shipping stakeholders. As a cargo owner, you can integrate APIs built on our standards into your operations or become part of our mission to foster industry-wide standardisation in the container shipping sector.

Available APIs

Get in action

Our standards allow real-time collaboration between container shipping stakeholders. As a cargo owner, you can integrate APIs built on our standards into your operations or become part of our mission to foster industry-wide standardisation in the container shipping sector.

Available APIs

The vision of DCSA in 2-minutes

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The vision of DCSA in 2-minutes

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Contact us

Shape the future of container shipping with us. Contact us to discover how digital standards can help your organisation to grow.

Contact us

Contact us

Shape the future of container shipping with us. Contact us to discover how digital standards can help your organisation to grow.

Contact us

Paperless trade

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Paperless trade

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Related resources

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Press release

DCSA establishes Track and Trace standards for the global container shipping industry

EBook

Digital standards — the future of container shipping

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