BIMCO has updated its open source electronic bill of lading standard (eBL Standard) for the bulk shipping sector, providing a common data structure intended to improve interoperability between digital trade documentation systems.
The updated V2.0 standard comprises 36 predefined data fields covering information common to bills of lading used in bulk shipping. It is aligned with the UN/CEFACT standard and is described as ISO 5909 ready.
BIMCO said the structure is designed to retain familiarity with paper bills of lading while providing a common industry format for digital documentation, with the aim of supporting the transition to electronic bills of lading.
The newly updated standard documentation is available to download here.
