Evergreen Line introduces paperless Bill of Lading (B/L) and dispatch documentation via its ShipmentLink digital portal, enhancing connectivity for exporters and importers with banks, insurers, regulators, customs and port authorities.  Evergreen is the first container carrier to integrate with Bolero’s proven electronic Bill of Lading (eBL) solution.

Evergreen, in line with its avowed mission to deliver the highest standards of customer service through continual improvement, has introduced two new Intelligent Services – the intelligent i-B/L (Bill of Lading) and i-Dispatch, a solution that delivers documents associated with such transactions.

These new services, provided in partnership with Bolero International, will lower shippers’ costs while making data transfer more accurate, efficient, reliable and secure.  Accessed via the line’s established ShipmentLink portal, the ability to achieve paperless data exchange among all parties concerned in a shipment will significantly simplify supply chain linkages.

Bolero’s eBL technology has been integrated into Evergreen’s ShipmentLink customer portal, delivering the benefits of almost 20 years’ experience of proven, secure and accepted electronic transfer of Bills of Lading (B/Ls) in the shipping community.

The advantages of this new integration for Evergreen’s container shippers start with the rapid issuance and transmission of the i-B/L.  This is helpful in all cases but particularly for short-sea shipments when a paper Bill of Lading can sometimes arrive later than the vessel, making it difficult for importers to pick up cargo on a timely basis.

However the advantages of i-B/L do not end there. The paperless environment allows reviews and alterations to be undertaken online and speeds up cash-flow by avoiding the delays associated with traditional documents. Carriers can release goods and banks can release payment to shippers far more quickly.

With Bolero’s assistance, the new i-Dispatch function facilitates electronic exchange of the wide range of documentation associated with shipments in addition to the B/L, including packing lists, commercial invoices, certificates of origin and other customs-related credentials, licenses and inspection reports.  This avoids the dangers of loss, fraudulent copying and errors associated with paper documents and where necessary, transmission can be in an encrypted form.

Evergreen is pleased therefore to add i-B/L and i-Dispatch to its existing suite of electronic functions, including shipment booking and tracking, for the use of customers via Evergreen ShipmentLink. Partnership with Bolero, introducing new digital functionality, marks the expansion of the established online portal into high-volume container trades.

Ian Kerr, CEO of Bolero, said: “We are delighted that Evergreen, such a major global container carrier, is partnering with us to help transform an industry on which world trade depends. Bolero’s eBL platform has already been proven in bulk cargo trades and initial container-based transactions by corporates such as Cargill, BHP Billiton and Reliance Industries, but now with Evergreen we are taking a very significant next-step in the digitization of world trade by putting our technology at the disposal of a wider community of container shippers and NVOCCs.”

Evergreen Line remains committed to bringing technology to the aid of its customers wherever and whenever possible.  Whether in the realm of digitalization, environmental sustainability or efficiencies in transport operations, the line will continue to be at the forefront of innovation and the extension of service capability.