DCSA’s has designed its standards to be used in every aspect of the container shipping industry. From the first bookings all the way to port calls; from track & trace through to arrival notices: the standards bring clarity to a complex system of multiple stakeholders.
However, before cargo owners, freight forwarders or ocean carriers actually implement DCSA’s standards into their operating procedures, it is obviously good to know that they work. That they do the job that DCSA has promised. This is where the pilot projects come into the picture: they put DCSA’s standards to the test. The pilot projects are honest in their results: they identify the potential benefits as well as flagging the areas that need improvement.
Ocean carrier HMM and logistics solution provider HelloContainer recently completed a pilot project that dived into the workings of DCSA’s Booking and Electronic Bill of Lading (eBL) Standards. This was carried out in conjunction with cargo owner FrieslandCampina (one of the largest dairy companies in the world). The pilot set out to answer three key questions:
- Could standardised APIs replace fragmented EDI and email workflows?
- Would data quality and reliability improve in day-to-day operations?
- Was the effort required to change long-standing processes justified?
The existing problem: the limits of EDI and fragmented communication
Before the pilot, HelloContainer relied on EDI-based communication with HMM. It goes without saying that this is accompanied by the challenges that are familiar across the industry:- EDI messages are handled differently by each carrier, limiting automation
- Heavy reliance on time-consuming manual checks and exception handling
Why the need for change?
Let’s hear what HelloContainer have to say about their reasons for working with DCSA and HMM on this pilot project. “Standards are needed to make the next step in the industry – otherwise un-optimisation will slow down key processes,” says HelloContainer co-CEO Michiel Brokke. “To this end, we see the role of innovation and digitalization in improving quality and automation. After all, we need to speak the same language to innovate. We had already implemented the DCSA Track & Trace Standard so we wanted to implement the next standards in their suite.”Implementation highlights
- No hardware or software investment required
- Open-source generated code used for API implementation
- Most effort spent on Conformance Testing and debugging, rather than coding
Collaboration: the key to success
The pilot was marked by a strong collaborative dynamic. This included proactive support from DCSA which helped identify and resolve issues early. And HelloContainer and HMM’s constructive approach guided the whole process from start to finish. This shared problem-solving mindset oiled the gears and helped build trust between all parties. Rather than working in silos, the pilot’s participants had a common goal: making the standards work in a realistic operational scenario.What Went Well?
A key takeaway from the HMM–HelloContainer pilot was that using an API-based standard significantly reduced manual work. This delivered immediate value by saving time and reducing errors. Crucially, adopting DCSA’s standards is not about replacing people, but about enabling them to focus on higher-value tasks by removing a large share of administrative effort. As Michiel Brokke from HelloContainer put it: “EDIs are costly to maintain and not pleasant to work with. Given the choice, standard APIs are far more productive.” Key benefits observed during the pilot included:- Reduced manual intervention and fewer human errors
- Faster, simpler integrations compared to bespoke EDI connections
- One implementation supporting multiple partners
- Lower maintenance effort over time
Conformance Testing: Enabling Speed and Confidence
As with all of DCSA’s pilot projects, Conformance Testing played a key role in the HMM–HelloContainer pilot. This helped both parties validate their implementations early and with confidence. What’s more, it enabled progress without dependency on the counterpart’s system availability and reduced risk before live data exchange. Key benefits included:- Independent testing without waiting for the other party
- Faster setup and issue resolution
- Clear benchmarks to validate correct implementation
- Reduced risk during live pilot operations
What this pilot shows – and why this matters
The HMM–HelloContainer pilot demonstrates that real digital progress is achieved when common standards, close collaboration and Conformance Testing come together. It shows how standardised, API-based data exchange can move from concept to operational reality, offering the industry a clear path beyond fragmented integrations toward a more scalable and interoperable future.
3 most important lessons of this pilot:
- Standardised APIs can replace EDI in both Booking and eBL processes.
- Collaboration and conformance are as important as the standard itself.
- Digital frameworks deliver value only when tested in real operations.