September 26, 2024, marks the official approbation date in Italy of the so-called “Protocol on Electronic CMR. Italy was one of the few European Countries not having yet adhere to the international convention. Being one of the most relevant economy in Europe this is a highly expected step in the transportation sector, which is still heavily reliant on paper documents, especially for international transport. Beyond the legal aspects, there are many contextual elements necessary for the additional CMR Convention, which introduces the use of the electronic consignment note (e-CMR), to bring about a radical change in industry practices.
From this perspective, it is important to understand the experiences of those who first approached these new technologies. The Port System Authority of the Eastern Adriatic Sea, specifically the Port of Trieste and the Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM), are already at the forefront of adopting this data exchange and communication system, having conducted several experiments over the years, the latest of which was just a few days ago. On September 23, 2024, a concrete experiment of using the e-CMR was successfully completed, applied to a shipment of pharmaceutical products.
The shipment started from the Gruber Logistics warehouse in Padua, where a truck from the South Tyrolean company transported pharmaceutical products to the port of Trieste, from where they were shipped to Turkey. The adoption of the e-CMR protocol ensured interoperability between the IT systems of all involved parties (warehouse, transporter, Port Authority, Customs Agency, and Guardia di Finanza) and allowed access to the port entrance without the need for a prior customs export declaration.
For this purpose, the blockchain-based e-CMR by ACCUDIRE was used, which, once validated by AIDA, the central system of ADM, through the issuance of a UTI (Unique Transaction Identifier), was transmitted to the Port Community System of the Port of Trieste (Sinfomar, developed by Info.Era Srl) and then to the Port Tracking system, managed by ADM and the Guardia di Finanza. All involved parties, both public and private, received real-time certified data regarding the shipment and its progress. This pilot test demonstrated the effectiveness of system interoperability and the potential use of the e-CMR to optimize the logistics and transportation sector.
The success of this experiment was made possible thanks to the excellent coordination between various entities: the Port System Authority of the Eastern Adriatic Sea, the Gruber Logistics team in Trieste, Info.Era Srl, Accudire Srl, the Guardia di Finanza, the Customs Agency, and Sogei.
Vittorio Torbianelli, extraordinary commissioner of the Port System Authority of the Eastern Adriatic Sea, specifies that “the first electronic CMR is another important step towards a future of full document dematerialization of logistics flows in the ports of the AdSP MAO, with the benefit of faster transit, greater sustainability, and lower costs for users; experimenting and then successfully spreading technologies, however, essentially depends on the ability of the actors involved, institutions, and operators, to coordinate and share a common vision.”
Martin Gruber, CEO of Gruber Logistics, involved for several years in experiments related to the electronic CMR, emphasizes the importance of a systemic approach but also how the e-CMR itself could suggest the path of change. “The port of Trieste is already very advanced in this regard, but we believe that the adoption of the electronic CMR could paradoxically offer even more advantages in situations where the digitization process is less developed. For example, it could serve as an arrival notice in other less digitally advanced ports, facilitating logistics operations and improving goods traceability.” Additionally, Martin Gruber highlights that “our sector is generally not resilient nor ready to embrace such innovations. To ensure the effective spread of the electronic CMR, there will need to be a moment when it must be made mandatory. Only then can a single dialogue system be adopted, aligning the various actors to its use.”
Abramo Vincenzi, CEO of ACCUDIRE, highlights how “the close public-private collaboration and particularly the commitment of the Customs Agency and the Port System Authority have been and continue to be a determining factor for the realization of innovation and change projects for the entire export and international shipping sector, such as the push for the use of the e-CMR.”
