HMM completes three pilots for DCSA standards adoption
This process looked into how Booking and Bill of Lading standards enhance accuracy, visibility and efficiency
HMM, along with its partners Genesis, Samsung SDS, and HelloContainer, have completed three pilots implementing Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA) standards.
In a statement, HMM said it “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.
“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,” said John Kim, senior manager of Digital at HMM.
Kim said the three pilots were successfully completed and offered real-world experience and foundation for future implementation.
In collaboration with Genesis, HMM tested the DCSA Booking standard to improve how booking confirmations are exchanged across systems. This 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.
Automated booking updates through DCSA’s standardised interface helped the teams achieved faster, more accurate information exchange and reduced operational workload.
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.
