Practical assessment of the Data Pipeline concept for improving the Grain Corridor efficiency using UN/CEFACT standards
The war in Ukraine, caused by the aggression of the Russian Federation, led to a humanitarian catastrophe not only in Ukraine, but also provoked a global food crisis. The blockade of Ukrainian seaports and the impossibility of supplying Ukrainian grain and other agricultural products to the world market led to the risk of famine in many countries and a significant increase in world food prices. The limited capacity of existing transport corridors and the impossibility to increase it rapidly by traditional methods in a limited time frame has led to the need to find ways and approaches to improve the efficiency of the existing logistics infrastructure by simplifying procedures and digitalization.
The UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) initiated a project to explore the practical application of the data exchange pipeline concept to improve the efficiency of this grain export corridor using UN standards.
COVID-19 and International Sale of Goods: Contractual devices for commercial risk allocation and loss prevention
The impacts of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and related response measures have resulted in significant operational disruptions and delays across global networks, with important implications for the performance of international commercial contracts.
Data mapping between selected business documents used in multimodal data and document exchange and regulatory information systems, such as Single Window and Customs systems
During this consultancy project, the Consultant analyzed the data requirements in a sample transport document aligned to the UN/CEFACT Multimodal Transport Reference Data Model (MMT RDM), the European Union Customs Data Model (EUCDM) and the WCO Data Model. The objective was to produce data mapping between these instruments, with a view to propose practical solution for using in regulatory information systems (such as regulatory Single Window, Customs systems) the information in the package of standards for the digitalization of multimodal transport data and document exchange.
UNTTC Training course on UN/CEFACT Standards
The UNTTC Training course on UN/CEFACT Standards was developed as part of the United Nations response to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic under the United Nations multiagency project “Transport and Trade Connectivity in the Age of Pandemics: UN solutions for contactless, seamless and collaborative transport and trade”.
Digitalization of data and document exchange for multimodal transport and trade in Azerbaijan, using the UN/CEFACT standards and reference data models
The objective of the current project is further development of the digital transport documents that could provide seamless information flows accompanying cargo flows between countries along the GUAM transport corridor. Due to its position in the middle of the cargo transport routes between Europe and Asia, the use of UN/CEFACT standards and recommendations for cargo information sharing along this route makes much sense.
BUILDING CAPACITY TO MANAGE RISKS AND ENHANCE RESILIENCE A Guidebook for Ports
The guidebook presents a step-by-step approach to resilience building in the maritime supply chain. It sets out risk identification, assessment and management tools and techniques, and describes a resilience-building process for ports.
The guidebook emphasizes lessons learned and good practices and highlights relevant measures that can be implemented to prepare, respond and recover from disruptions.
Reconciling a Standardized Dataset with international standards and data models, development of schemas for electronic equivalents of railway carriage documents SMGS, CIM/SMGS and CIM in XML and JSON formats
The current project has been initiated with the main objectives to support the development of digital multimodal transport corridors, increase the harmonization and standardization of data exchange in international transport and logistics, encourage electronic data exchange and thus to reduce people-to-people contacts during the COVID-19 crisis and in the post-pandemic recovery by using the relevant standards and Multimodal Reference Data Model (MMT RDM) of the United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT).
Resilient Maritime Logistics Website
The Resilient Maritime Logistics website (https://resilientmaritimelogistics.unctad.org) hosts a guidebook for ports aiming at Building Capacity to Manage Risks and Enhance Resilience. It features risk identification, assessment, and management tools and approaches, case studies, good practices and a step-by-step resilience-building process for ports and other relevant maritime supply chain actors. The guidance focuses on three types of resilience-building actions and measures, namely:
- Before a disruption materializes.
- During a disruption.
- After a disruption.
A course structured around six modules and focusing on Port and Maritime Supply Chain Resilience accompanies the guidance on this website. The training will help to better understand the importance of well-functioning maritime supply chains and ports for highly interdependent world economies and the need to build their resilience in the face of heightened, uncertainty and disruptions.
The Resilient Maritime Logistics website and related content and material aim to help stakeholders across the maritime supply chain to better manage risks, prepare in the face of disruptions, ensure effective response measures and enable rapid recovery. Targeted stakeholders include (i) governmental planning and regulatory agencies; (ii) port authorities; (iii) port operators and port management companies; (iv) terminal operators; (v) infrastructure managers; (vi) freight forwarders; (vii) customs authorities; (viii) carriers and shipping companies; (ix) shippers and cargo owners; and (x) inland carriers and inland logistics operators (e.g. dry ports, inland container depots, warehouses, logistics and distribution centres). Collaboration between each of these stakeholders is critical for maritime supply chain agility and resilience-building.
UNCTAD course on ports and maritime supply chain resilience
UNCTAD's course on Ports and Maritime Supply Chain Resilience aims to help improve understanding of the key issues at the interface of maritime transport and resilience-building. With disruptions to transport and logistics occurring more frequently, it is crucial to build the capacity to anticipate, prepare, respond, and recover from risks and events disrupting the maritime supply chain.
The training will allow participants to:
- Gain a general overview of the maritime supply chain and improve awareness of its strategic role in trade and development.
- Understand the risks and disruptions facing the maritime supply chain, and their potential implications.
- Become familiar with risk management and resilience concepts and learn what actions are required to better prepare and anticipate disruptions, manage risks, respond to disruptive events, and recover.
- Develop the capacity to plan for emergency responses and to integrate risk management into relevant processes and plans.
- Learn from others and their experiences and get acquainted with existing tools and instruments that can help manage risks and build resilience.
Analysis of information in the EDIFACT format data interchange and data matching in rail transport and the UN/CEFACT Reference Data Model for Multimodal Transport (MMT RDM)
Objective of this paper: Analyze and match data between several key documents accompanying cargo in multimodal transportation, in particular, rail transport, and the UN CEFACT Multimodal Transport Reference Data Model (MMT-RDM).
At this project phase the data shall be matched with the MMT-RDM and the first steps to create the concept of data conversion between information on rail transport between Eurasia and Western Europe and with other modes of transportation.