Colombian Customs has started accepting electronic Bills of Lading (eBLs) for the first time after validating IQAX eBLs issued by Cosco using the Global Shipping Business Network (GSBN) Document Viewer App.
The change replaces Colombian Customs’ paper-only requirement for Bills of Lading in customs clearance and establishes a direct method for customs officers to verify carrier-issued documents.
The verification process uses the GSBN Document Viewer App to scan a QR code embedded in the eBL PDF presented by the consignee, which links to the official eBL issued by Cosco via IQAX eBL on GSBN’s blockchain-enabled infrastructure.
IQAX CEO George Guo said: “At IQAX, we are committed to giving stakeholders across supply chains greater choice and innovation in how they make decisions.
“Colombia’s recognition of IQAX eBLs is a practical demonstration of our vision for digital trade.”
GSBN described the IQAX eBL as “an IG P&I Club-approved solution on GSBN blockchain.” It also stated that every document is directly issued by the carrier and immutable.
Furthermore, GSBN stated that this approach can “significantly reduce time and cost, while mitigating the risks of fraud and human errors.”
The organisation also noted that the method does not require API integration, permitting straightforward replication by other customs authorities globally.
GSBN pointed to the scale of maritime trade and current paper usage, noting that “around 80% of world trade moves by sea, and in container shipping alone, more than 45 million Bills of Lading are issued annually.”
The launch of the GSBN DocumentViewer App forms part of GSBN’s stated commitment to use technology to transform global trade and create value for stakeholders.
GSBN CEO Bertrand Chen said: “Customs authorities are a key cog in global trade, yet they continue to be weighed down by the burden of paper-based bills of lading.
“Without a simple way to verify a document’s authenticity, inefficiency, risk, and avoidable costs persist across the system.”
In June this year, GSBN announced that IQAX is the first solution to integrate the Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA) eBL API schema version 3.0.
