ACL’s DIGITAL SIGNATURES TO PROVIDE PAPERLESS BILL OF LADING RELEASE

ACLÆS DIGITAL SIGNATURES TO PROVIDE PAPERLESS BILL OF LADING RELEASE    Atlantic Container Line said it has developed a new system which will use digital signatures, allowing bills of lading to move from the carrier to the customer via e-mail.
   Each ACL office has a “signed on behalf of carrier” electronic signatory, that eliminates the need for exchanging the original bill of lading between parties. Digital signatures have been recognized as an acceptable means of authorizing documents in many countries, and were enabled in the United States through the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act.
   ACL said customs require merely an e-mail address, the Adobe Acrobat software (available free from the Internet), an amended account profile to reflect e-mail bill release. ACL forwards a Trading Partner Agreement Terms and Conditions Letter, which the customer signs and returns.
   The carrier said the documentation release system allows customers to receive documentation without logging on, eliminates couriers and faxing and provides clearer documentation.