Contracts for the carriage of goods by sea and multimodal transport: Key issues arising from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, which was declared by the WHO on 11 March 2020, and in response to the emergence of new variants, countries have imposed, eased and re-imposed various restrictions on daily life, including for the entry and exit in ports. This has resulted in disruption and delay, with implications for the performance of commercial contracts for the carriage of goods.
Air Way Bill Standard Package
The Air Way Bill Standard Package 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” in cooperation with ICAO.
This electronic document equivalent Standard Package consists of the following elements:
Air Dangerous Goods Declaration
The Air Dangerous Goods Declaration Standard Package 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” in cooperation with ICAO.
This electronic document equivalent Standard Package consists of the following elements:
Air Consignment Security Declaration
The Air Consignment Security Declaration Standard Package 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” in cooperation with ICAO.
This electronic document equivalent Standard Package consists of the following elements:
Assessment of the use of electronic documents based on the UN/CEFACT Multimodal Transport Reference Data Model (MMT RDM) in the execution of formalities for the registration of the arrival and departure of ships in the seaports of Ukraine
The current project focuses on reporting formalities in the seaports of Ukraine as a part of global supply chains. The crossing of multimodal transport corridors at seaports leads to the need to use the UN/CEFACT multimodal transport reference data model (MMT RDM) as a core tool for data harmonization and seamless sharing. There is also a need to link this tool with the requirements of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), national and regional regulations. The project will result in practical recommendations for the further development of digitalization of documentary procedures in Ukrainian seaports.
The objective of the project is to assess the present state of the ship-shore interaction, identify customary practices, formulate the concept of positioning of a national maritime Single Window (MSW) in regional and global multimodal transport corridors and supply chains, and then perform practical tests to prove the concept.
Alignment of documents used in multimodal transportation along the GUAM transport corridor with the UN/CEFACT reference data model
The objective of this 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.
The focus of the project is on the practical application of the data models and standards to facilitate real-world transport operations that take place along this transport route. This is achieved by creating digital twins of real business documents that are mapped to the UN/CEFACT multimodal transport reference data model (MMT RDM) to ensure interoperability both in terms of changing jurisdictions and modes of transport along the route.
CA Transport Infrastructure and Perspectives on Development of Electronic Document Equivalents, Data Structures and Data Exchange
This Report serves as a preparation to the research of trade and transport corridors going though the Central Asia and establishes the necessity of digitalization of multimodal transport data as well as exchange of documents along those corridors through the use of UN & UN/CEFACT standards.
This Project is the joint initiative of the UNECE and the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
The relevance of this project is the current common interest of all the countries in the region to jointly develop the transport links.
UNCTAD/ASYCUDA Guidelines to Customs Administrations
The COVID-19 pandemic is profoundly altering the manner in which individuals engage in work activities and go about their daily lives. The global supply chains are expected to experience significant disruptions, including through reductions in trade volumes, declines in foreign direct investment, lower consumer goods demand, a reduction in commodity prices, and general economic decline in particular for vulnerable developing countries.
UNCTAD/ASYCUDA COVID-19 Customs Administration Survey
The fully automated environment provided by ASYCUDAWorld affords customs, cross-border agencies, and traders with the capacity to electronically submit and exchange data and documentation and computerize procedures. This enables the expediting of the clearance of imports, exports, transit trade, and other trade transactions, thereby greatly reducing the need for face-to-face interaction.
FIATA eFBL Standard Package
The FIATA eFBL Standard Package 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”.
Available via FIATA’s GitHub repository, the data standard is offered as open source for all software providers and industry stakeholders to implement. FIATA expects its standard to become the main global standard for all House Bill of Ladings, noting the compatibility with other BLs.