COSCO SHIPPING Lines (COSCO) and Global Shipping Business Network (GSBN) have launched a pilot initiative aimed at improving the digital sharing of documents and certificates for the transportation of dangerous and critical cargo.
The pilot, conducted in December 2024, was carried out in collaboration with Longxing Chemical Stock Co., Ltd. (Longxing Chemical). The goal is to streamline the process of certifying hazardous materials, such as carbon black, which require extensive documentation before being accepted by shipping companies for maritime transport.
Currently, the certification process for hazardous materials is complex, involving the submission of multiple documents that can burden customers. Carriers also face challenges in securely and efficiently processing these documents.
By accelerating digitalization and intelligent transformation, and focusing on the everlasting theme of “safety” to drive innovative development. The company is committed to working hand in hand with industry partners to explore the optimal path for shipping safety and development.
… said Capt. Wuzhen, Executive Deputy General Manager of Safety & Technology Management Division of COSCO
In response, COSCO, in partnership with Longxing Chemical, is leveraging GSBN’s blockchain-enabled infrastructure to simplify and speed up the documentation process.
Liu Sha, Marketing Director of Longxing Chemical, stated that the verification of the safe transportation of carbon black goods through blockchain technology not only ensures proper safety certification, but also enhances audit efficiency, making transportation cooperation with COSCO safer and more efficient.
This new system allows COSCO to verify safety certifications through a network of accredited testing laboratories, ensuring a more efficient and sustainable supply chain while maintaining safety standards.
By digitizing the certification and verification process, this initiative aims to enhance the handling of hazardous shipments, particularly carbon black, and demonstrate COSCO’s commitment to innovation and reliable, safe transportation.
GSBN is ready to partner with carriers and customers to respond with a framework and the infrastructure necessary to help enhance safe transportation by facilitating trusted information exchange. At stake, it is the need to balance the increasing demands of global trade with the safety of crew and the impacts on the environment
… commented Bertrand Chen, CEO of GSBN. To remind, in an exclusive interview to SAFETY4SEA, Bertrand Chen explained that given the complexity and interconnectedness of the shipping industry, there will not be a single solution that can fit the bill, but rather a portfolio of solutions built atop of a common data infrastructure.
