News / DCSA makes case for interoperability with new 'standard'

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The Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA) has launched its Commercial Schedules 1.0 Standard, designed to make exchange of data between carriers, beneficial cargo owners (BCOs) and logistics service providers interoperable. 

DCSA CEO Thomas Bagge has previously told The Loadstar the goal of DCSA was to establish electronic standards in logistics akin to e-mail – a message format which can be opened, read and replied to on a PC, Mac or Linux device. 

With the new standard, customers will be able to interface with different carriers in the same way, requesting point-to-point routing of their cargo, as well as port and vessel schedules. 

Interoperable standards are a prerequisite of digitalisation within the maritime sector, which is far behind other industries, Mr Bagge explained.

“When we say ‘vessel arrival’ what do we mean? There are six different definitions,” he said. “In the aviation industry, this would be unthinkable… I think if we look at those industries, we can start to imagine the contours of what digital shipping will become.” 

Creating a set of digital ‘standards’ for the exchange of data, in theory, means that one particular carrier could not force others to use their particular format. It is widely understood that, if digitalised, shipping could become hamstrung by competing proprietary standards, as platform providers vie to have every logistics sector paying to use their software – creating a ‘walled garden’. 

This is a phenomenon observed in many other industries: for example, it is increasingly difficult to use a phone or computer without an Apple, Microsoft or Google account. But if a platform provider were successful in establishing a monopoly on digitalisation in logistics – something tried and failed by Maersk’s Tradelens several years ago – there could be trillions of dollars to be made.  

With this in mind, last week Mr Bagge explained to The Loadstar why any platform provider might be expected to foster interoperability in accordance with DCSA standards. 

“Collaboration is central to the successful digitalisation of the container shipping sector,” he said. “Without it, it would be impossible to align the multiple different parties and stakeholders that interact across the global supply chain. 

“This stands for platform providers, too. Digital documents change hands multiple times in any given transaction and a walled-garden approach would ultimately result in less uptake. 

“Importantly, DCSA and those we collaborate with across the supply chain – including platform providers – are focused on creating as straightforward a path to digitalisation as possible.

“Interoperability is a key element of this and, together with the standards we develop, we must ensure digital transformation is accessible to all stakeholders.”