Electronic bills of lading in a changing landscape: where are we heading?

The digitalisation of international trade is gathering momentum in the maritime industry. The latest development in the UK saw the Electronic Trade Documents Act 2023 come into force on 20 September 2023. This legislation effectively provides legal certainty for trade documents that exist in electronic form, including electronic bills of lading (eBLs). Since the majority of bills of lading used in international sales transactions operate under English law, it is expected that more jurisdictions will follow suit and introduce their own laws to make way for digital trade documentation. This article explores the future prospects of eBLs in the evolving legal environment and the new era of paperless trade.

A hybrid of private contractual frameworks and enabling state legislations