In our latest quarterly issue: Digitization as a crucial post Covid-19 recovery strategy amid the ‘new normal’ in trade, industry bodies provide useful guidance to fast-track digitization, governments take steps to enable paperless trade as we enter a time of unprecedented digital uptake plus much more! + SUBSCRIBE

Industry News & Views

ICC provides guidance to the trade finance market to address Covid-19 disruptions: ICC issues practical guidance for trade participants & key steps for governments and central banks to safeguard trade finance operations due to Covid-19 disruptions (source:lCC). + READ MORE

How trade digitization could support Covid-19's economic rebound: World Economic Forum posits that digitization through specialized ecosystems will be the most efficient way to reduce trade costs, benefiting countries impacted by Covid-19 (source: WEF). + READ MORE

Associations call for accelerated trade digitalization post-pandemic: Shipping & Port Associations incl. PCSA, BIMCO, FONASBA + more call for accelerated trade digitization post Covid-19, starting with electronic bills of lading (eB/Ls) (source: Port Technology). + READ MORE

5 Ways To Advance Digital Trade In The Post-Covid World: Forbes contributors from the World Economic Forum call attention to the digitization of trade documents as 1 of 5 crucial steps in advancing digital trade (source: Forbes). + READ MORE

Industry association takes on e-bill of lading standardisation: essDOCS Co-CEOs Alex Goulandris & Marina Comninos discuss eB/L standardization for GTR’s coverage of the Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA)'s eB/L standards initiative (source: GTR). + READ MORE

10-point plan to bolster global transport, ease trade during Covid-19: UNCTAD issues 10-point action plan to bolster transport and ease trade, incl. proposed policy measures on customs / trade facilitation and paperless systems (source: UNCTAD). + READ MORE

Oman’s logistics sector embraces paperless transactions: Sultanate of Oman accelerates digitization of shipping and logistics with introduction of paperless Delivery Orders & Cargo Release Orders (source: Times of Oman). + READ MORE

Argentina & Chile set milestone with application of IPPC ePhyto solution: A key paperless milestone for agri trade as the two nations move to paperless Phyto Certificates to facilitate trade and act as a preventive measure during Covid-19 (source: IPPC). + READ MORE

Assessing Covid-19 impact on SMEs & preparing for a new normal: International Trade Centre's (ITC) SME Competitiveness Outlook for 2020 reveals just how profoundly SMEs and global supply chains have been tested by the Covid-19 pandemic (source: ITC). + READ MORE

Indian Govt allows paperless customs clearance: Indian Customs announce measures to expedite customs clearance and reduce costs via paperless submissions, particularly for raw materials used in manufacturing medicines (source: Hindustan Times). + READ MORE

UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation: UN publishes interactive digital & sustainable trade facilitation map, providing a detailed score for countries' paperless trade readiness based on 2019 global survey results (source: United Nations). + READ MORE

ICC Digitisation Group publishes digital rapid response measures taken by banks during Covid-19: A breakdown of the ICC Digitisation Workgroup’s rapid response measures for banks, feat. insights from trade finance experts (source: TradeFinanceGlobal). + READ MORE

Trade finance pressured to digitalise amid Covid-19 chaos: Trade participants are increasingly having to turn to digital solutions such as eDocs and eSignatures to ensure trade finance deals and papers can be virtually inked (source: GTR). + READ MORE

Baosteel & Rio Tinto complete first deal on Contour: CargoDocs, combined with tech from Chinsay & Contour, was recently used to execute the 1st integrated paperless trade transacted in Renminbi (RMB), involving Rio Tinto, Baosteel, DBS & SCB (source: Contour). + READ MORE

In the world’s poorest countries, the move to digitalize trade is needed more than ever: EIF, a global LDC development program, calls for increased digitization amid data revealing only 45% of APAC LDCs are implementing paperless trade measures (source: EIF). + READ MORE

ICC publishes issues brief on facilitating trade through digitization: Recent issues brief on digital trade provides guidance to governments, with key initiatives such as the WTO JSI presenting an opportunity to build on existing best practices (source: essDOCS). + READ MORE

essDOCS News

essDOCS expands presence to India: Announcing our expansion to India, marking a key step forward for essDOCS enabling us to locally engage with trade participants seeking to digitize in such a critical region for global trade & trade finance. + READ MORE

Ocean Network Express issues its first eB/L, selects essDOCS to power global B/L digitization initiative: ONE goes live with eB/Ls as essDOCS announces CargoDocs will power ONE's B/L digitization initiative, interfacing with the latter's eCommerce portal. + READ MORE

Preem Norway goes 100% paperless with CargoDocs: A major achievement for our customer Preem AB, reaching 100% paperless trade in just 3 weeks from going live with CargoDocs e/BLs at its Norway location.. + READ MORE

MineHub’s Mining & Metals Digital Platform Collaborates with essDOCS: Announcing our collaboration with Minehub Technologies in jointly accelerating the digitization of mining & metals supply chains. + READ MORE

China embraces CargoDocs DocEx for Exports: Leading mining company, Vale, recently enabled the first ever use of electronic bills of lading (eBL) for an export shipment out of mainland China. + READ MORE

essDOCS network surpasses 50,000 customers: The essDOCS network recently exceeded 50,000 customers, marking a major milestone in our company’s history as digital trade continues to accelerate globally. + READ MORE

Contour partners with essDOCS following Rio Tinto & Baosteel transaction: Announcing our partnership & full integration with Contour, the open trade finance network, following our initial collaboration in a paperless transaction between RioTinto & Baosteel. + READ MORE

Kaunis Iron goes live with Tata Steel Europe on CargoDocs eB/Ls: Paperless trade continues to gain traction in metals as Kaunis Iron goes live with CargoDocs, marking the 1st ever use of our solution for iron ore export out of Norway. + READ MORE

essCert network exceeds 300 Chambers of Commerce across soon-to-be 20 countries: essCert electronic Certificate Of Origin (eCO) uptake has surged over the last 2 months, driven mainly by the imperative to digitize during Covid-19. + READ MORE

ELCY and essDOCS announce enhanced LC data integration: Announcing key enhancements to Letter of Credit data integration between CargoDocs and our partner ELCY's ELCYmpb solution. + READ MORE

essDOCS in Numbers