The nine leading container shipping companies global members of Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA), namely MSC, Maersk, CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, ONE, Evergreen, Yang Ming, HMM and ZIM, have committed to convert into digital format 50% of the original bills of lading within next five years until reaching 100% by 2030. The nine Maritime carriers have specified that, in addition to improving the customer relations and sustainability, the abandonment of paper documentation should allow Savings of $6.5 billion in direct costs of stakeholders and should allow an increase in the value of world trade of 30-40 billion Dollars.

DCSA recalled that annually shipping companies issue about 45 million bills of lading and in 2021 only 1.2% of these were in electronic format. 'The digitization of international trade - underlined the managing director of the association, Thomas Bagge - offers a significant potential for the world economy by reducing inefficiencies And, given that trade brings prosperity and the electronic bill of lading will increase trade, which will help lift millions of people out of poverty. people. This heralds the beginning of a new era in transport containerized at a time when the sector is passing large-scale automation and trade without any paper. The digitization of documentation has the power to transform international trade and requires collaboration of all stakeholders. I congratulate the leadership of our associates for agreeing to achieve this important milestone».