IG Approval
ESS has worked with the International Group of P&I Clubs since 2004 to ensure that our Users Agreement for our electronic bill of lading solution, CargoDocs™, is acceptable to carriers’ Clubs.
The P&I Clubs have confirmed that ESS’s CargoDocs™ electronic bills of lading are covered under members’ P&I insurance. In circulars published in September 2010, the 13 Clubs in the International Group advised all members that standard P&I risks associated with the carriage of cargo under an electronic bill of lading issued using ESS’s CargoDocs™ Services are within members’ standard terms of cover, provided they have signed the ESS-Databridge Services and Users Agreement, version 2009.3 (the DSUA).
The IG decision came after an exhaustive review of the DSUA and the Group is satisfied that this legal framework provides the conditions for use of electronic documents.
The IG approved version 2009.3 of the DSUA, which forms the basis of any live use of ESS’s CargoDocs™ services. Current signatories of the DSUA include many of the largest trading companies, shipowners, banks, ship agents, and independent inspectors.
Links to the P&I Club Circulars are set out below:
- American Club Circular (number 24/10)
- Britannia Circular (dated September 2010)
- Gard Circular (number 10/2010)
- Japan Club Circular (dated 6 Oct 2010, No. 10-015)
- London P&I Club Circular (dated 22 Sep 2010)
- North of England Circular (dated 13 Sep 2010, No. 2010/026)
- Shipowners Mutual Circular (dated Sep 2012)
- Skuld Circular (dated 8 Sep 2010)
- Standard Club Circular (dated 6 Oct 2010)
- Steamship Mutual Circular (dated Sep 2010)
- Swedish Club Circular (dated 10 Sep 2010, No. 2506/2010)
- UK Club Circular (number 16/10)
- West of England Circular (dated Oct 2010, No. 18 2010/2011)
Please note: under the terms of their cover, Members may be required to notify the Associations before using CargoDocs™. It is therefore recommended that Users check their Club rules to ensure that any formal requirements are satisfied prior to their first use of the service.
