Documentation

The world of digitisation and technology is upon us and the shipping and freight industry has been playing catch up compared to the other industries..

In November 2017, ZIM Line announced that the first pilot of paperless Bills-of-Lading based on blockchain technology was completed in cooperation with Sparx Logistics and Wave Ltd.. The pioneering pilot, the first of its kind led by an ocean carrier, was concluded successfully as part of ZIM lines new platform along with a selection of their leading customers to test this solution for trade activities on multiple shipping lanes..

Following this successful pilot, ZIM line has been evaluating its platform in different trade lanes with more customers and is now ready to move to the next phase of its blockchain initiative..

Everyone involved in the shipping and freight industry would have come across various Bill of Lading clauses and stamps..

There are specific reasons why a Bill of Lading has clauses typed or stamped on them.. In this article we will discuss these clauses in relation to "containerized" shipments..

You may have read my review about CargoX's blockchain based smart bill of lading where I explained how it works..

CargoX is an independent supplier of public-blockchain-based solutions for logistics looking to transport the global supply chain industry into the 21st century..

CargoX's Smart B/L™ is the first open, neutral blockchain platform in the shipping industry for real-world commercial use and it is now open for business..

Blockchain - that newfangled concept seems to be catching on quickly and moving along quite nicely in the shipping and freight industry..

A Blockchain is a ledger that uses cryptography, the internet and naturally computers to create, share, transfer, track and secure assets and transactions (represented/organised as blocks) belonging to everyone to fulfil a certain function..

Unless the previous transaction is not completed in the chain and shared forward with a timestamp, the next transaction cannot happen..

In the first transaction of its kind in India, HSBC India and ING Bank Brussels have enabled, successfully executed and completed a full blockchain driven trade finance transaction between India's Reliance Industries and USA's Tricon Energy..

A.P. Moller - Maersk becomes the first container shipping company to launch instant booking confirmation..

One of the first steps in a container shipment is the process of booking..

This is also one of the areas where the customers often face delays leading to frustrations resulting in sometimes the deal between the shipping line and the customer being cancelled even before the shipment takes place..

Maersk Line, currently the largest container shipping line in the world has reportedly become the first container shipping company to launch instant booking confirmation much like a flight ticket booking..

Read on..

CargoX Smart Bill of Lading based on Blockchain – how it works..   Smart Computers, Smart Phones, Smart Cars and now Smart Bill of lading..!!!! Shipping documentation...

We all have seen the clause SAID TO CONTAIN or STC in a Bill of Lading issued for an FCL shipment.. What does it mean and should the Said To Contain clause be allowed or not..??

Join the discussion in this article on whether the Said To Contain clause should be allowed or not in the bill of lading and if you are a carrier that is not showing the Said To Contain on your bill of lading, how do you protect yourself from possible claims relating to shortage of cargo..

Are the clauses Said To Contain and Shipper's Load Stow and Count interchangeable..??

Will blockchain revolutionize the shipping and logistics industry, allowing it to move past inefficient legacy technologies by handing companies the keys to high-tech solutions, at an affordable cost? That’s ShipChain CEO John Monarch’s vision, and over the past year, his company’s platform has emerged as one of the foremost contenders in this burgeoning market.

Cargo covered by a bill of lading may only be released to the entity to whom it is consigned..

The shipping line and/or their agents at the destination must take cognisance of the type of bill of lading issued, the endorsements required on the bill of lading for the type of bill of lading before releasing the cargo..

Some lines are releasing cargo without the endorsement , some are strictly following above, some are content with releasing cargo to whoever is in possession of the bill of lading and are not seeking any endorsement or authorisation letter (in the case of release to an agent)..

What is your viewpoint on this issue and let us take a vote to see how strictly these endorsement requirements are followed..

To the casual onlooker, signing a bill of lading may be a routine, day to day mundane job done by many people across the world.. But the fact is that there are several technicalities to be considered before signing a bill of lading..

It is important to understand that the person signing the bill of lading acknowledges the details recorded on the bill of lading.. Any bill of lading signed with the knowledge of misrepresented facts may be considered to be a fraudulent document and may result in legal consequences for the signatory..

If you are a bill of lading signatory, here are 8 points that you need to consider before signing a bill of lading.. It may be a bit of a long read, but worth it.. 🙂

Shipped on Board Date and Bill of Lading date - can these two dates be different.. What are the implications if they are same or different..??

We all know what a bill of lading is and what a contract of carriage is.. But do you know when a bill of lading become a contract of carriage..?? This article examines this question in detail..

Say what..!!!!!!!! Yes my thought exactly when I got this question from a reader.. But then I said to myself this is a very valid and interesting question..

What is a House Bill of Lading and can anyone issue a House Bill of Lading..?? This article examines this vital question..

If you are an exporter and especially if you are exporting for the first time, you should have a checklist of points to consider before packing your cargo.. Here are 5 main points you should consider before packing your cargo..

Article discussing a dispute between a shipper and his agent relating to the shipment of the goods, ETA and freight.. This maybe an eye opener for several other people who maybe in this predicament or situation and need to know these intimate details of shipping..

Are telex release and express release the same..?? Telex Release and Express Release - These are terms that still confuses many people in the industry.. The confusion occurs when these terms are loosely used instead of using it in the strict sense..

An article discussing the various types of documentation involved in a sea freight shipment prepared by the various parties involved..

Article giving a brief about General Average, what is it and how and who gets affected by it..

A Notify Party is one of the many parties involved in a shipment reflected in a Bill of Lading, forming an import part of the documentary process.. This article discusses the role of a Notify Party in a shipment and their importance..

Shipper on bill of lading can be from a country different from port of loading - Yes or No..?? What is your opinion and what is the regulation in your country..?? Participate in this short poll and let us find out..