Since last November, Hapag-Lloyd has announced it will no longer accept offline applications for bill of lading amendments. All applications for BL draft approvals have been shifted online, marking a major step forward in further digitizing its operations.

With carriers increasingly adopting electronic means for processing bills of lading, what major benefits does eBL provide to shippers and forwarders compared to paper bills of lading?

Paper bills of lading incur extra courier costs for both shippers and freight forwarders. If an unexpected issue arises during transit, causing a delay in the mailing of the bill of lading, any cargo left waiting at the port will also be subject to demurrage fees.

IQAX's eBL solution transforms carriers' traditional way of issuing bills of lading into an online system. Shippers and freight forwarders who adopt the IQAX eBL system no longer need to allocate resources to obtaining physical bills of lading or bear the costs associated with mailing them. More importantly, they are spared worries about shipping delays of these documents and avoid demurrage fees. This truly enables a zero-cost circulation of bills of lading.

To date, more than 14,000 companies have registered within the IQAX eBL system across over 70 countries and regions globally. Since January 2023, the system processed over 240,000 original bills of lading from carriers. Please visit our official website to find out more about the IQAX eBL system.