HMM leads three industry pilots advancing Booking and Bill of Lading standard adoption
HMM has completed three pilots implementing DCSA standards. Working with Genesis, Samsung SDS, and HelloContainer, HMM explored how the Booking and Bill of Lading standards enhance accuracy, visibility and efficiency in digital information sharing. Each pilot tested DCSA standards in live environments, supported by DCSA through onboarding, technical facilitation and partner alignment. It is the first time the carrier has worked simultaneously with several ecosystem partners to validate standardised API-based data exchanges, improving the speed, accuracy and reliability of booking and documentation updates. The initiative demonstrates how collaboration across the value chain can turn digital frameworks into operational reality. John Kim, Senior Manager of Digital at HMM reflects “The DCSA Conformance system proved valuable in verifying that carrier-developed APIs functioned correctly. From this, HMM recognised that collaboration beyond conformance was essential. Conducting pilots between parties that had passed the conformance test became a practical way to advance toward a standardised digital environment.”
Mr Kim continues “Three pilots were successfully completed, offering real-world experience and a solid foundation for future implementation. HMM, Samsung SDS and HelloContainer are now applying these outcomes as they prepare for production, a process like to riding a surfboard on the wave of digital shipping.” In collaboration with Genesis, HMM tested the DCSA Booking standard to improve how booking confirmations are exchanged across systems. The pilot complemented existing EDIFACT-based processes with modern APIs, addressing inefficiencies caused by manual workflows and custom integrations that relied on spreadsheets and repeated data entry, often leading to missed updates or costly downstream corrections. By automating booking updates through DCSA’s standardised interface, the teams achieved faster, more accurate information exchange and reduced operational workload, while contributing valuable implementation feedback that will help refine future DCSA guidance. In collaboration with Samsung SDS, HelloContainer and FrieslandCampina, who participated in the pilot through HelloContainer as the designated cargo owner, HMM tested the DCSA Booking and Bill of Lading standards to explore how standardised APIs can replace fragmented EDI and email exchanges with a scalable, reusable approach that reduces the need for bespoke integrations. The pilot focused on improving data quality and alignment across systems, tackling long-standing inconsistencies in carrier messages and delays in shared updates such as estimated times of arrival. HelloContainer has already implemented the DCSA Track & Trace standard and is preparing to go live with the Booking and Bill of Lading standards in production by the end of 2025. Commenting on the results, Mariana Bock-Losada, Chief Growth Officer DCSA, said: “This initiative reflects the collaborative progress we aim to achieve through DCSA+. HMM’s pilots are a clear demonstration of why standardisation matters. By adopting DCSA-conformant Booking and Bill of Lading APIs, HMM has shown that once a carrier implements the standard, any counterpart that has done the same can connect directly, without the need for custom integrations. This is how standardisation turns digital collaboration from a costly one-to-one exercise into a scalable, industry-wide capability.” This milestone underscores the importance of industry-wide collaboration in advancing digital adoption. By facilitating partnerships between carriers and ecosystem stakeholders, DCSA enables the exchange of insight, technical alignment and shared learning that accelerate the development of open, interoperable standards for global container shipping, turning pilots like these into scalable implementation models for the wider industry.
