🚢 Sri Lanka Risks Being Left Behind in Global Paperless Shipping

Sri Lanka, an island economy reliant on maritime trade, faces significant challenges in adopting Electronic Bills of Lading (eBLs), risking higher import/export costs, delays, and reduced competitiveness. • Global Shift: International shipping is rapidly moving towards digital trade documentation, with major industry players aiming for full eBL standardisation by 2030. Countries like Singapore, UK, and UAE are modernising laws to recognise eBLs. • Sri Lanka's Situation: Despite early exposure and technical viability, eBL adoption in Sri Lanka remains limited, fragmented, and driven by external actors. • Current Benefits (limited use): Freight forwarders using eBLs report significant time savings (days to minutes), direct cost reductions (e.g., courier fees of US$ 25-80 per shipment), lower risk of lost documents, and improved traceability. • Key Barriers: Banking Integration: No Sri Lankan bank accepts eBLs for Letters of Credit (LCs), excluding a large share of higher-value shipments. Customs Procedures: eBLs are not legally recognised for clearance, often requiring parallel paper submissions. Network Effects: Limited participation (only 2 shipping lines, ~10 local freight forwarders) hinders mass adoption. Cost: Platform fees (US$ 15 per BL) and remittance charges can make eBLs more expensive than paper for smaller firms. • Way Forward: Coordinated action is crucial, including digitising simpler documents, integrating banks into eBL platforms, evolving Customs procedures, and addressing costs for SMEs. eBLs offer real benefits for Sri Lanka but require an ecosystem-wide transformation, treating it as a national trade facilitation priority alongside initiatives like the National Single Window.