After ZIM’s first-ever pilot of paperless Bills-of-Lading based on blockchain technology, ZIM and selected customers are testing the new platform as a way for trade activities on multiple shipping lanes.
After the successful pilot, ZIM is evaluating the platform in different trade lanes with more customers. The exploratory transactions showed that the blockchain technology can not only replace paper but also enhance current activities which depend on emails, fax and other existing tools.
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In two recent transactions, Original Bill of Ladings were transferred to the receiver in less than two hours from the ship’s departure. Moreover, all documentation processes were carried out over the blockchain-based platform. Namely, one consignment was shipped from Vietnam to the US East Coast, and a shipment of 11 high-cube special containers were loaded in Koper and shipped to Haifa.
After successfully completing many shipments, ZIM wants to start the next phase by moving to eB/L to all ZIM customers in selected trades. In the first quarter of 2019, ZIM aims to give emphasis on the Asia-South Africa and North America-Mediterranean trades. These trades were chosen because of their diverse activities and involved players.
Digitizing the shipping documentation process will have a tremendous effect of reducing the time, complexity and costs for all parties involved