Release cargo without paper delays

Exchange electronic bills instantly to eliminate courier dependency and accelerate surrender at destination.

Accelerate payment and time to cash

Enable faster validation and fewer discrepancies for trade finance workflows, supporting quicker settlement and earlier access to working capital.

Replace paper risk with digital certainty

Every transaction is verified, time-stamped, and auditable, creating a trusted digital record for all parties.

Approved by and aligned with

Approved by the International Group of P&I Clubs and aligned with DCSA, FIATA, ICC, BIMCO, and the FIT Alliance. 

Solutions

Digitize the document that drives global trade

Replace paper-based processes with Electronic Bills of Lading for more secure and efficient digital document management

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Solutions

Align the flow of information with the flow of goods. 

Both electronic Master (eMBL) and House Bills of Lading (eHBL) can be created, exchanged, and managed through integrated digital workflows. CargoWise extends secure digital exchange across carriers, forwarders, BCOs, and banks, replacing couriered documents with fast, transparent collaboration. 

Electronic Master Bill of Lading (eMBL)

Request, receive, view, and transfer eMBLs directly in CargoWise. Once the carrier publishes the eMBL, the document and title registry details are available in-platform so users can check the current holder, transfer title, and request amendments or surrender

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  • Request and receive carrier-issued eMBLs directly in CargoWise

  • View the current holder and bill status in real time

  • Transfer title securely

  • Surrender electronically to trigger cargo release 

Electronic House Bill of Lading (eHBL)

Issue electronic house bills of lading directly from CargoWise and enroll customers to receive them digitally. Customers manage their bills securely in Galileo and can share them with counterparties or banks alongside other trade documents.

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  • Create and issue electronic house bills directly from shipment data

  • Publish bills instantly to customers and trade partners

  • Keep documents synchronized with shipment workflows

  • Update or amend bills digitally without manual document exchange

Powering a new era of trade documentation

Hear from Ashley Skaanild, Principal Advisor Carrier Integration and Transformation, on how electronic bills of lading are reshaping global trade.

Built for global trade

Electronic bills of lading in CargoWise align with major industry standards and are recognized across carriers, forwarders, banks, and regulators. Integration supports secure exchange at scale, without manual handoffs or courier dependency.

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Supporting every party in the transaction

Electronic Bills of Lading operate within a connected ecosystem across global trade and logistics. 

  • Ocean Carriers
    Issue and manage master bills digitally, enabling faster cargo release and eliminating paper handoffs
  • Forwarders
    Create and manage electronic House and Master Bills in a single digital workflow, ensuring alignment between HBL and MBL data while reducing manual rekeying, errors, and delays.
  • Trade Finance Banks 
    Receive and validate full digital document sets electronically to streamline letters of credit or documentary collections operations and reduce time to payment.
  • Exporters
    Digitally receive and transfer electronic bills and other trade documents to accelerate payment, reduce courier risk, and eliminate paper handling at origin.
  • Importers
    Receive and surrender electronic bills earlier to secure faster cargo release, improve inventory planning, and avoid port delays and demurrage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Digitization that delivers beyond the document

Real-time collaboration and visibility

Every transfer, endorsement, and surrender is encrypted, time-stamped, and visible to all authorized parties, enabling faster decisions and fewer disputes. 

Connectivity with leading trade finance banks

Your customers can share complete digital document sets with trusted trade finance banks, reducing discrepancies and accelerating time to cash.

Fraud prevention and data security

Every eBL is encrypted and hashed, reducing the risk of forgery, loss, or unauthorized access. 

Global compliance and recognition

Aligned with DCSA, FIATA, ICC, BIMCO, and the FIT Alliance, supporting both negotiable and straight bills. 

Sustainability at scale 

Eliminate printed documents, couriers, and physical archives to reduce cost and emissions tied to paper-based exchange. 

Bills of Lading inside your shipment workflow

Electronic Bills of Lading are created and managed directly within CargoWise jobs and bookings. No disconnected portals. No separate document systems. 
 
Link bill issuance, transfer, amendment, and surrender to shipment milestones and task workflows, ensuring documentation stays aligned with operational execution. 


















Electronic Bills Of Lading, included in the CargoWise Value Pack


Electronic Bills Of Lading are one of many capabilities available as part of the CargoWise Value Packs. Discover how the Value Packs expand what you can do across the CargoWise platform.

 

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Frequently asked questions

An Electronic Bill of Lading is a secure digital equivalent of a paper bill of lading that confirms transport and ownership of goods, enables trade finance, and authorizes cargo release. It carries the same legal and operational function as paper, without relying on physical originals. 

An electronic Bill of Lading (eBL) replicates the functions of a paper BL but in a digital format. Unlike paper BLs, eBLs are:

  • Transferred instantly and securely online
  • Immune to physical loss or damage
  • Easier to track and audit

Yes. Electronic Bills of Lading issued through CargoWise align with major international frameworks and are approved by the International Group of P&I Clubs. They support negotiable and straight bills and are aligned with DCSA, FIATA, ICC, BIMCO, SWIFT, and FIT Alliance standards. 

eBLs are governed by:

  • The Bolero Rulebook which all participants in a Bolero eBL need to sign and is a legal multilateral contract that all participants must comply with.
  • UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Transferable Records (MLETR)
  • English Common Law (for Bolero)
  • P&I Club Rules (International Group of Protection & Indemnity Clubs) These frameworks ensure eBLs are legally equivalent to paper BLs.

The Title Registry is a secure digital ledger within the Bolero platform that records Holdership, Title to the goods, and transfer of eBLs. It ensures: 

  • There is only one legal holder of a Bolero eBL at any one time
  • EBL can only be surrendered by the designated title Holdership
  • Full audit trail of endorsements

Title is transferred through secure digital endorsement within a controlled title registry. Each transaction is encrypted, time-stamped, and auditable, creating a verifiable chain of custody without relying on paper handoffs. 

An eBL is surrendered by:

  • The consignee who is designated as the title holder can surrender the eBL electronically to the carrier when the eBL is passed to them and they are also the holder.
  • The carrier then electronically acknowledges receipt of the Surrender notification and releases the goods.

Yes, under specific conditions. The carrier can reissue a paper Bill of Lading if requested to do so:

  • The current holder can issue a Switch To Paper instruction electronically to the carrier.
  • The eBL is cancelled in the Title Registry. This is typically done when the next party in the supply chain cannot receive the bill electronically in their systems.

Many major carriers and ports support eBLs, including:

  • Maersk, MSC, Hapag-Lloyd, CMA CGM
  • Ports in Singapore, Rotterdam, Dubai, Mumbai, and others are expanding rapidly across global trade routes.

Electronic Master and House Bills of Lading are embedded directly within CargoWise jobs and bookings. Issuance, transfer, amendment, and surrender are linked to shipment milestones, eliminating the need for separate portals or parallel document systems. 

Yes. Electronic bills can be shared with trade finance banks as part of complete digital document sets to support letters of credit, electronic presentations, and collections. This reduces discrepancies and accelerates time to payment. 

Each electronic bill is encrypted, hashed, and recorded within a secure digital registry. All transfers and endorsements are validated and time-stamped to prevent unauthorized access, forgery, or duplication. 

eBook

Electronic Bills of Lading guide



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