The beginning of the year is the time for forecasts, so here is mine, the realisation of one that many in shipping have been promised for some time:

2013 will be the year that essDOCS electronic bill of lading solution, CargoDocs, becomes global and touches all market sectors

What I mean by that is that companies throughout the globe and in all major trades, i.e., tankers, bulkers and containers including NVOCCs, will use CargoDocs' eB/Ls to replace paper.  Indeed, as the solution achieves critical mass, eB/Ls will touch people (and companies) everywhere.

By the end of this year some markets and geographies will actually use eB/Ls more than paper, such as European refined product trades where CargoDocs was originally tested and rolled out.

If you have heard this prediction before, I understand your scepticism; but remember, the world has moved a long way since the first attempts at eB/Ls some three decades ago.  Indeed, today’s environment requires reduced working capital costs, reduced environmental impact, faster and more efficient trade finance all while meeting governmental demands for  electronic submission of trade and shipping data.  These conflicting demands lead us to a solution whose time has long since come – eB/Ls.

For those of you who are interested in following essDOCS progress throughout 2013, you can follow the company’s blogs on Linkedin.