The newly released “State of the Industry Report 2024” from the Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA) highlights the industry’s progress toward digitalisation.
The report is intended to be used as a tool for industry stakeholders to better understand how they can improve operational efficiency, boost customer satisfaction and drive a more sustainable supply chain ecosystem.
The report reveals that 86 per cent of cargo owners, for instance, see digitalisation as a tool for operational efficiency, while ports and terminals highlight its value in enabling scalability.
It also identifies a number of impediments that may be overcome to enable faster, more widespread transformation. DCSA discovered that while 90 per cent of cargo owners feel their companies are ready for digitisation, 66 per cent say they require external assistance in getting there.
READ: DCSA’s member carriers commit to trade digitalisation with electronic bill of lading
Thomas Bagge, Chief Executive Officer at DCSA, said: “This year, electronic Bill of Lading (eBL) adoption reached 5 per cent, up from 1.2 per cent in 2021, and carriers adopted more DCSA standards in the first quarter of 2024 than in the whole of 2023. For example, the common Track and Trace (T&T) API standard saw a 40 per cent increase in callouts between September 2023 and March 2024.
“We’re supported by a broad range of stakeholders across the supply chain — cargo owners, carriers, banks, freight forwarders, ports and terminals, cargo insurers, and technology providers—all eager for better digital tools and standards. We look forward to accelerating the shift to a fully digitalised supply chain.”
