Evergreen Line has introduced a paperless Bill of Lading (B/L) and dispatch documentation via its ShipmentLink digital portal, hoping to enhance connectivity for exporters and importers with banks, insurers, regulators, customs and port authorities.
The new services, provided in partnership with Bolero International, aim to lower shippers’ costs while making data transfer more accurate, efficient, reliable and secure.
Container shippers could benefit from the rapid issuance and transmission of the intelligent i-B/L, which is particularly useful for short-sea shipments when a paper B/L can arrive later than a vessel, causing importers to pick up cargo late.
The paperless environment also allows reviews and alterations to be undertaken online and speeds up cash-flow by avoiding the delays associated with traditional documents.
It is hoped that carriers can release goods and banks can release payment to shippers far more quickly.
With Bolero’s assistance, the new i-Dispatch function facilitates electronic exchange of the documentation associated with shipments in addition to the B/L, including packing lists, commercial invoices, certificates of origin and other customs-related credentials, licenses and inspection reports.
This reduces the dangers of loss, fraudulent copying and errors associated with paper documents and where necessary, transmission can be in an encrypted form.
Ian Kerr, CEO of Bolero, said: “Bolero’s eBL platform has already been proven in bulk cargo trades and initial container-based transactions by corporates such as Cargill, BHP Billiton and Reliance Industries, but now with Evergreen we are taking a very significant next-step in the digitization of world trade by putting our technology at the disposal of a wider community of container shippers and NVOCCs.”
