DCSA: PUBLISHES BOOKING PROCESS AND BL STANDARDS

The Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA) has published beta releases of Standards for the Booking Process 1.0 and the Bill of Lading 2.0.

In addition, the company has announced a new website where interested participants are able to review and then provide feedback on the beta versions of DCSA standards.

“After the publication of DCSA electronic bill of lading (eBL) standards, the publication of booking process standards is the second step toward end-to-end digitalisation of the shipping documentation process,” explains DCSA.

DCSA Standards for the Booking Process 1.0 means that it will be possible to enable frictionless sharing of digitised shipping data, which in-turn will eliminate the need to rekey booking information into the eBL.

The DCSA Standards for the Bill of Lading 2.0 are aligned with DCSA booking process standards and this subsequently ensures automatic uptake of booking process data.

Thomas Bagge, CEO, DCSA confirms that there is a significant amount of potential in this area of digital processes. “In 2021, only 1.2 per cent of the bills of lading issued by carriers was digital…this leaves much roomfor improvement of the B/L process, which will have a significant and positive impact on international trade.

“Eliminating paper each year,” he adds, “will improve sustainability, and digitising documents will increase the accuracy and availability of digital data, which will benefit everyone along the supply chain, including customs organisations.”