Frequently asked questions

Part of 永利皇宫app下载注册’s mission is to minimise barriers which may exist towards greater transparency and interoperability within the container shipping supply chain. For this reason, 永利皇宫app下载注册 makes its standards and API definitions freely available on its website and welcomes feedback that supports further improvements and future innovations. The intention is that this level of transparency will foster trust, making it easier for organisations to do business with each other and encouraging innovation. 

We are indeed aligning with multiple other standardisation entities. We can certainly learn and leverage our collaboration with them.

The 永利皇宫app下载注册 collaborates with and takes into account all relevant work items that have been published by all well-established standards organisations, including the UN.

永利皇宫app下载注册 is a non-profit, non-commercial organisation. It was founded in April 2019 by a coalition of ocean carriers as a non-profit organisation and is governed separately by a General Assembly of representatives from each of its members. 永利皇宫app下载注册 has no stake in any commercial entity or business. 永利皇宫app下载注册 has no commercial business model or investments and publishes its standards free for everyone to use. The organisation is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands. 

Currently, 永利皇宫app下载注册 membership is open only to ocean carriers, with nine of the top 10 carriers in the world on board, representing approximately 70% of global container trade. These members develop standards jointly with 永利皇宫app下载注册, which means they have financial, time and expertise commitments to continually and actively support 永利皇宫app下载注册 initiatives. Due to the level of resource commitment required, 永利皇宫app下载注册 members tend to include large ocean carriers.

永利皇宫app下载注册’s members vote on its budget and project priorities, but you do not need to be a member to collaborate with 永利皇宫app下载注册. Any organisation with a stake in the container shipping industry can make use of the standards for free, provide input into standards development or give feedback to support future improvements. 永利皇宫app下载注册’s goal is to produce standards that are beneficial to all parties involved in international trade and to achieve the widest possible adoption of those standards. Input from many types of organisation is valued and taken into consideration when defining and updating standards. However, deciding on a standard requires an informed and thoughtful process of selection and deselection. It is important to recognise that while input is sought from many parties, not all parties may be satisfied with the outcome of the work done.

永利皇宫app下载注册 is not working on an ISO standard at present, nor is it on our current roadmap.

We are inspired by IATA and learn much from them. They have a long history, so it is very ambitious to have that as our aim. We do follow them closely and meet with them when possible.

We are open and interested in connecting with other companies in the shipping industry.

No. 永利皇宫app下载注册 publishes non-binding standards but it is not a technology platform provider. 永利皇宫app下载注册 does not have access to granular, non-public data of its members, whether such data is commercially sensitive or not. 永利皇宫app下载注册 also does not have access to the carriers’ systems that implement 永利皇宫app下载注册’s standards. Organisations are free to use 永利皇宫app下载注册’s API test tools to ensure their API-based implementations are compliant with 永利皇宫app下载注册’s standards, but they are encouraged to use test (“dummy”) data instead of actual company data relating to their business activities. 

When it comes to actual company data, it is the carrier’s responsibility to ensure that data cannot be accessed illegally, for example in the event of a cyber-attack. 永利皇宫app下载注册 has published guidance on how to mitigate cyber risks.

An antitrust framework setting out competition “do’s & don’ts” is part of 永利皇宫app下载注册’s statutes. An external compliance lawyer engaged by 永利皇宫app下载注册 attends all key meetings in which 永利皇宫app下载注册 members participate. At the start of every meeting, attendees are reminded that they must not discuss any out-of-scope commercial topics. The minutes of key 永利皇宫app下载注册 meetings are submitted to the US Federal Maritime Commission as part of 永利皇宫app下载注册’s reporting obligations. Trainings for 永利皇宫app下载注册 employees are conducted by external counsel which shows 永利皇宫app下载注册’s strong commitment to compliance.

The United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT) is a subsidiary, intergovernmental body of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) which serves as a focal point within the United Nations Economic and Social Council for trade facilitation recommendations and electronic business standards. It has global membership and its members are experts from intergovernmental organisations, individual countries' authorities and also from the business community.

Everything 永利皇宫app下载注册 publishes is open source, and therefore, public. When it comes to real data, owned by the carriers, it is the carrier’s responsibility to secure that data. 永利皇宫app下载注册 does share our recommendations with members on this topic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made clear there is a strong need for a more efficient (digital/standardised) logistics chain in all its aspects. 永利皇宫app下载注册 initiatives, including eBL and IoT, fill that need, and we expect to see active adoption of our standards by the industry.