To successfully digitalise Bills of Lading, the three necessary foundations are law, standards and technology. Without their proper application, any eBL SaaS platform, notwithstanding the attractiveness of the business model, is unstable.
Despite most industries witnessing digital leaps forward over the past decade, the world of trade has kept its focus on paper-based documentation. In fact, trade documents such as promissory notes, bills of lading, and performance bonds have remained relatively unchanged for centuries.
FCI, the global representative body for factoring and financing of open account domestic and international trade receivables, has released their annual World Factoring Statistics report.
After years of dealing with the oppressive clouds of COVID-19, the world has since experienced the bloodiest land war in Europe since World War II, inflation levels unseen since the 1980s, rising interest rates, and large scale political instability across all regions. And now, a looming debt crisis in the US.
In international trade, shipping containers are vital for transporting goods safely and securely. To use them, however, many shipping lines require traders to put down deposits – known as container deposits – to safeguard against possible liabilities such as damage, demurrage, or total loss of the container.
Economically disadvantaged people have been trafficked into countries as sources of “cheap” labour throughout history. The International Labour Organization estimates more than 50 million people around the world are trapped in some form of modern slavery.
Just over two weeks ago, Commodity Trading Week gathered over 300 experts from across the world, tackling some of the most pertinent questions and challenges in the industry. TFG summarises the key findings.
Fast fashion brands are looking at technology to help improve supply chain sustainability and meet their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) targets.
Historically, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has always been a cornerstone of the global trade landscape, with its strategic location, abundant resources, and diverse economies. However, the region’s complex geopolitical dynamics, regulatory challenges, and ever-changing markets have posed significant obstacles to trade finance in recent decades.
The financial services industry is constantly changing, and the pace of change is accelerating rapidly, especially for the payments sector. The industry has witnessed many shifts: from the barter system to cash, from cheques to cards, and from cards to digital banking and payments.