MSC Introduces New Electronic Bill Of Lading for Customers Worldwide Using Wave BL’s Platform

April 28, 2021 - MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, a global leader in container shipping and logistics, is officially introducing the electronic bill of lading (eBL) for its customers around the world, following a successful pilot phase, using a solution on an independent blockchain platform WAVE BL. The eBL enables shippers and other key supply chain stakeholders to receive and transmit the bill of lading document electronically, without any change or disruption to day-to-day business operations.

WAVE BL is a blockchain-based system that uses distributed ledger technology to ensure that all parties involved in a cargo shipment booking can issue, transfer, endorse and manage documents through a secure, decentralised network. Users can issue all originals, negotiable or non-negotiable, and exchange them via a direct, encrypted, peer-to-peer transmission. It’s also possible for users to amend documents. WAVE BL’s communication protocol is approved by the International Group of Protection & Indemnity Clubs, and meets the highest industry standards for security and privacy.

“MSC has chosen WAVE BL because it is the only solution that mirrors the traditional paper-based process that the shipping and cargo transportation industry is used to,” says André Simha, Global Chief Digital & Information Officer at MSC. “It provides a digital alternative to all the possibilities available with traditional print documents, just much faster and more secure.”

The WAVE BL platform can be used free of charge throughout 2021 for exporters, importers and traders. Users only pay for issuing the original documents, and they do not need to invest in any IT infrastructure or make operational changes in order to use the service. They can simply sign up via MSC’s website: www.msc.com/eBL.

MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, is a global leader in transportation and logistics, privately owned and founded in 1970 by Gianluigi Aponte. As one of the world’s leading container shipping lines, MSC has 524 offices across 155 countries worldwide with over 100,000 employees. With access to an integrated network of road, rail and sea transport resources which stretches across the globe, the company prides itself on delivering global service with local knowledge. MSC’s shipping line sails on more than 215 trade routes, calling at over 500 ports.

SOURCE: MSC

APM Terminals Barcelona Applies 5G Technology to Improve Traffic Safety

The system is based on the application of connected car technology and industrial traffic safety. The information will be shared continuously and offer the position and trajectory of machinery, vehicles, and people in real time, enabling traffic coordination and warning drivers in the event of an accident risk.

March 11, 2021 - 5G Barcelona, together with Telefónica, APM Terminals, and Mobile World Capital Barcelona are working on a pilot project to improve security in ports thanks to the use of 5G networks to connect cranes, vehicles, and people by merging different advanced communication and localisation technologies. The main objective of the project is to minimise the potential risk of collisions between mobile machinery and fixed elements, vehicles, and people in the container terminal.

5G Barcelona is a public-private initiative that works to position Barcelona and Catalonia as an innovative and open environment for the validation and adoption of 5G technologies and applications in a real-life environment.

The pilot test, which is based on technology of the C-V2X connected car and the low latency of 5G communications and Edge Computing, aims to turn APM Terminals Barcelona into a safer space for workers, thanks to a system that allows the coordination of port traffic and the implementation of advanced algorithms for accident traffic prevention. Through an alarm system, both crane drivers and trucks or pedestrian personnel will be warned about a potential collision against fixed and mobile elements and the system will in addition send an instant notification to a control centre in case of collision.

The development of the project involves the deployment of Telefónica's 5G coverage at the APM Terminals in the Port of Barcelona, the provision of 5G connectivity to Straddle Carrier cranes, trucks and terminal personnel, as well as an acoustic warning system for possible collisions.

“Transition towards a fleet of natively connected vehicles”

The Straddle Carrier cranes will be equipped with an on-board unit capable of communicating via 5G and through C-V2X technology between them and with the rest of the actors. Trucks, truckers and terminal personnel will have a 5G smartphone, on which a C-V2X application will be installed. This way, the smartphone, becomes another piece of the V2X environment, as well as the lever for an easy transition towards a fleet of natively connected vehicles and direct inclusion of people in the ecosystem.

Fixed elements, such as streetlights, will also be signalled with C-V2X communications, thus communicating with the rest of the mobile actors in real time.

All the information communicated by the cranes, trucks and pedestrian personnel is sent securely to an application located geographically very close (Edge) to their place of consumption in order to offer immediate responses. This application, hosted on the Edge, has the intelligence to be able to coordinate this cooperative driving between the different actors — called intelligent cooperative transport system (C-ITS) — and also offers a dashboard to APM Terminals to visualise on a map the positions of each of the actors participating in the project. Obtaining a precise location is vital and for this reason a system has been developed to allow obtaining precise locations as close as centimetres.

APM Terminals operates one of the world’s most comprehensive port networks with 75 terminals. To learn more, visit: www.apmterminals.com.

What Is a Transportation Management System?

The following article is authored by WSI Supply Chain Solutions and is posted on the company’s website.

March 3, 2021 - A lot goes on between the shipping and receiving dock. When freight travels, its route, shipping price, and mode of transportation need to be sorted.

When considering software types to manage your shipping operations — within the company or at the warehouse — the two most recognized systems are Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Warehouse Management Systems (WMS). Each system offers automated functionality to perform a wide range of tasks and processes. Yet, there is another system that goes hand-in-hand with these applications.

Transportation management systems (TMS) are used by retailers, e-commerce businesses, manufacturers, distributors, and logistical providers to handle freight movement. This system’s basic role in the supply chain is to help businesses plan and execute the movement of freight between destinations, all while identifying processes that can become more efficient and cost-effective.

What is a TMS?

Transportation management systems are used to streamline manual tasks by providing more automated functions. The basic features of a TMS involve providing rating, booking, and transportation processes. A TMS can determine the amount of freight that needs to be shipped, obtain rates for the freight shipment, decide on the path that the freight will take, and book the modes of transportation that will handle the cargo for the entire shipping process.

The system does this by focusing on three main aspects: planning, execution, and optimization.

Planning: This feature allows companies and shippers to decide on the best modes of transportation to take with the appropriate carriers. Instead of contacting each carrier separately and finding the best rates, the TMS scours far and wide for carriers, low rates, and other offered services. It then places all the information on the same screen. The user can view all the options and shipping rates at once to select the right carrier and mode of transportation to use.

Execution: A TMS offers a wide range of executable functions based on the application that it offers. The system can assist with freight billing, match loads, import orders, communicate with carriers, generate shipment documents, and track shipments. Other systems may offer advanced features such as invoice resolution and settlements and import/export documentation.

Optimization: The optimization features allow companies to figure out what processes are working and where inefficiencies may exist. The system provides scorecards of carriers based on previous shipping history. It can also track performance and analyze data regarding shipping lanes. A company can then determine which transportation routes and carriers performed better than others to find the most cost-effective options while saving on costs.

There are two types of transportation management systems available on the market today: cloud-based and on-premises. While each will have the same basic functions, some key differences will set them apart.

An on-premises TMS provides a centralized location on your network systems. It pulls information from every computing device connected to that network. Then it can extrapolate the desired information and display it on an easy-to-use dashboard for quick use.

A cloud-based TMS system can also centralize all company computing systems, yet it is managed through the cloud. This system provides a faster way to deploy its capabilities without dealing with the company’s IT department handling all the security and upgrades.

Benefits of a TMS

A logistics TMS provides a wealth of benefits, especially when you are looking to select carriers, track shipments, and perform invoicing using real-time data. The top benefits include:

Centralized capabilities: All carrier information, rates, shipment tracking, and other functions are accessible through one platform. You can easily pull up this information from any location, making it a benefit to remote workers.

Shipping visibility: With a TMS, you know where shipments are at all times. Carrier information and supply chain updates are available in real-time, so you can always track the movement of shipments.

Cost spending analysis: With this benefit, you can understand all TMS shipping rate charges and fees upfront. You can then comparison shop for the best rates and continually evaluate costs to make the most cost-effective decisions.

The main benefit of a TMS is to make it easier for manufacturers and businesses to select carriers, track shipments, and invoice customers. It provides a centralized network so that all data is easily accessible and can obtainable in real-time.

One of the largest privately held logistics companies in the U.S., WSI spans a nationwide distribution network with global logistics reach. To learn more, visit: www.wsinc.com/wsi_wire/what-is-a-tms

SOURCE: WSI Supply Chain Solutions

COSCO SHIPPING Launches Blockchain-based Paperless Import Cargo Delivery at China’s Inland Ports

March 15, 2021 - On March 15, 2021, the digitalized contactless imports pickup solution based on blockchain technology, which was jointly developed by COSCO SHIPPING and Anhui Provincial Port & Shipping Group, was officially launched at Wuhu Port, Anhui Province. After coastal ports including Shanghai, Xiamen, Qingdao, Ningbo, Guangzhou, Tianjin, Wuhu Port has become the first inland port in China to realize blockchain-based paperless import cargo delivery.

It is a key initiative of COSCO SHIPPING to actively respond to the integration of Yangtze River Delta, to strengthen the strategic cooperation with Anhui Province, to implement the relevant requirements of the Ministry of Transport on the “clearway program” of port and shipping for imported e-commerce cargo, and to further promote the digitalization of shipping.

Taking this opportunity, Wuhu Port succeeded in joining the port and shipping blockchain platform via the blockchain of Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG), and completed the data connection with COSCO SHIPPING.

According to the solution, COSCO SHIPPING will implement the blockchain D/O (bill of lading) mode. With the technical characteristics of blockchain, i.e. traceability and reliability, it has realized data connection between different systems and process collaboration and mutual trust between shipping companies and ports, so that the whole operational process is visible, time controllable and risk preventable.

In the past, customers had to go back and forth several times to complete the import business process of shipping companies, ports, and other related entities. But now they can go through all the import D/O claim procedures online through just one click. This has greatly saved the time and cost of waiting in line and traveling back and forth.

COSCO SHIPPING has taken the lead to realize paperless import cargo delivery at Wuhu Port, which can ensure zero delay of import business for customers and greatly accelerate the emptying of heavy import containers. It can not only help attract cross-border e-commerce import customers with high requirements for timeliness to choose Wuhu Port, but also alleviate the shortage of container resources for foreign trade exports in Anhui Province.

SOURCE: COSCO SHIPPING