The first cross-border intermodal transport was carried out last week using an electronic waybill. Namely, paper reels were transported by truck and ferry from Spain to Italy.
On Monday, January 25th, the reels of paper went by truck from Madrid to the port of Valencia. From there, they were transported by ship to the Italian port of Livorno to continue their journey by truck and reach Verona. It was the first cross-border intermodal transport using not a regular waybill, but e-CMR. The transport was carried out by the Spanish transport company Transitalia España and the Italian ferry carrier Grimaldi.
Juan Carlos Arocas, CEO of TransItalia, said that electronic CMR is “one of the first steps that the international transport sector is taking to tackle the digital transformation that is so much needed”. The initiator of this type of activity is the Spanish organization of international carriers ASTIC.
Francesco De Candia from the Spanish branch of Grimaldi stated that “the e-CMR initiative is a breakthrough and an opportunity for the entire transport sector and maritime routes that allows goods to be tracked at every stage of the supply chain, gives confidence and peace of mind in risk management”.
La @AutPortValencia acoge el primer transporte intermodal de Europa mediante #eCMR https://t.co/vbG5kqxxMn pic.twitter.com/aqWBPkYDG2
— Diario del Puerto (@diariodelpuerto) February 26, 2019
Advantages of e-CMR
Transports with the use of an electronic waybill can be tracked throughout Europe and analyzed in real time. E-CMR allows carriers to conveniently archive logistic information. It also gives the contracting parties access to information about the entire process, such as the place and time of loading, where the cargo is located and what kind of truck is used. In addition, further steps, such as invoicing, delivery confirmation or the initiation of complaint procedures, can be faster and more cost-effective.
First international road transport
The first cross-border transport by road using an electronic waybill was carried out on 19 January 2017. The Spanish international transport association ASTIC, the French association FNTR and the IRU worked jointly on its organisation. The 1300 km long route with the use of e-CMR was covered by a truck carrying oranges owned by the Spanish carrier Primafrio. The vehicle set off from Spanish Huelva crossed the border with France in Perthus and reached Perpignan in France.
Photo: Grimaldi Cargo Lines