Global shipping is going paperless—Sri Lanka risks being left behind on electronic Bill of Lading

IN global shipping, the Bill of Lading (BL) is one of the most critical documents.

- By Janaka Wijayasiri and Pubudinie Wickramasekara

It serves as a receipt for goods, evidence of a contract of carriage, and, most importantly, a document of title. While much of international trade documentation has become digital, BLS remain mostly paper-based.Although electronic Bills of Lading (eBL) may sound like a logistic matter, inefficient paper-based trade processes ultimately raise the cost of imports and exports, delay essential goods, and add to the cost of living. For an island economy that depends heavily on maritime trade and aspires to be a transhipment hub, modernising trade documentation is directly linked to price stability, export competitiveness, and economic resilience. In this regard, eBL adoption is not just a logistics reform, but a public-interest issue that affects consumers, jobs, and the economy.

What makes an eBL different from a scanned or PDF document?

An eBL is not merely a scanned BL or an emailed PDF. It is the digital version of the BL designed to replicate the BL’s legal and commercial functions, particularly the title/ownership transfer, while moving the issuance, transfer, and surrender into a secure digital platform.

Different eBL platforms use different technological approaches—some rely on centralised registries, while others use distributed ledger or blockchain-based systems. But they share the same goal: that is, functional equivalence to paper BL, but with more advanced features and benefits, including faster, safer, cost-effective and real-time transactions. Examples of eBL platforms used globally include WaveBL, CargoX, and essDOCS.

A global shift toward digital trade documentation