Report on EDI Implementation in the Transport Sector

Abstract

The authors report that the results of the performed study indicate that significant progress has been made in the application of electronic commerce techniques (including EDI) to that part of the transport sector concerned with international trade. They refer to the implementation of EDI in sectors such as air freight, and its use by freight forwarders, customs brokers, and shipping companies.

As the authors note, although EDI is essentially a business issue related to the re-engineering of business systems within a co-operative networking environment, there are significant actual or perceived technical problems that need to be addressed. These include effective interconnections between the various networks, compatibility of software, message standards and guidelines for implementing the standards. All significant technical problems and inhibitors should be adequately addressed concurrently to encourage the greater use of EDI. If it can be achieved, however, the end-to-end use of EDI techniques will significantly contribute to focusing the attention of participants in the 'Wharf to Warehouse' chain on the common objectives of improving the efficiency of the importing and exporting process.

The authors provide a summary of activities to promote EDI, and note the penetration of electronic commerce into the international trade and transport sectors as at January 1994. They identify the perceived benefits of EDI as well as its shortcomings and gaps in its usage, and inhibitors to widespread adoption.