eBL

An electronic bill of lading (eBL) is a digital equivalent of the paper bill of lading that carries the same receipt, contract, and title functions in electronic form. The Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA) publishes interoperability standards, and the UK Electronic Trade Documents Act 2023 gave eBLs the same legal status as paper for English-law contracts. Industry targets, set by the major liner carriers through DCSA, aim for full eBL adoption across the container trades by 2030.