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The Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA) announced yesterday the release of the final version of its Booking 2.0 and Bill of Lading 3.0 standards, which set universal frameworks on the treatment of key trade documents and the communication between shippers and carriers.
These include important updates on security, compliance, and transparency, intended to streamline trade and increase interoperability, made possible with a standardised end-to-end process regulating electronic Bills of Lading (eBLs). EBLs now require a digital signature to address security concerns, and new attributes to conform with the new Import Control System 2 (ICS2) in Europe. The updated standards also include an increased capability to exchange information between parties in a shipment transaction, increasing transparency and reducing network traffic.
The Amsterdam-based DCSA association is a non-profit organisation representing 10 of the world’s largest ocean carriers, formed with the mission to increase cooperation in the shipping industry and drive faster digitisation. The standards, updated periodically to reflect technological or regulatory changes, serve as frameworks for some of the key operations performed by shipping carriers, standardising the treatment of shipping documents and processes across countries and shipping companies.
The new versions of the Booking and Bill of Lading standards were developed together with intergovernmental agencies, shippers, freight forwarders, carriers, and other key players in the shipping industry. The changes centre around security and efficiency by improving the security and integrity of eBLs through electronic signatures and increasing the amount of information that can be exchanged in shipping-related communication.
The introduction of nearly 200 new attributes to the Shipping Instructions is expected to support compliance with the ICS2, new manifest requirements applying to all cargo moving through Europe, Norway, Switzerland, and Northern Ireland.
The ICS2, which came into effect in March 2024, imposes new, advanced data filing requirements for sea freight shipments passing through the participating countries to increase safety and security in trade; a wider range of attributes used to describe goods is crucial for regulatory compliance and to streamline reporting processes.
These are a step towards greater interoperability and efficiency, reducing the need for paper trade documents and labour-intensive administrative processes. Security updates on eBLs should increase the uptake of electronic trade documents, cutting down on paper usage and decreasing the shipping industry’s environmental impact: a 100% eBL uptake could save up to 28,000 trees a year and reduce costs by $6.5 billion.
The new standards are a much-needed push forward for the shipping industry, increasing compliance of internal processes with international regulation and encouraging uptake of eBLs, a crucial step on the road to the digitisation of trade.
“These advancements will not only cut costs through automation and reduced manual processing but also set the foundation for a more interoperable and efficient global shipping ecosystem,” said Thomas Bagge, CEO of the DCSA.
