A consortium to improve the technology used in container shipping just got larger with the addition of several big names in the liner business.
The Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA) said France’s CMA CGM, Taiwanese carriers Yang Ming and Evergreen Marine, Korea’s Hyundai Merchant Marine and Israel’s ZIm are joining the group.
The Amsterdam-based DCSA, which stems from a project announced last year, is developing technological standards for the container industry. The goal is to foster uniform ways to send data such as vessel schedules and container status to shippers and marine terminals.
Despite not being included in the April 2019 announcement about the DCSA, CMA CGM said it “confirms being a founding member of DCSA,” along with Maersk (Nasdaq OMX: MAER.B), Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), Hapag-Lloyd (XETRA: HLAG), and Japan’s Ocean Network Express (ONE).
The memberships of Yang Ming, Evergreen, Hyundai Merchant Marine and Zim are pending regulatory approval. Once approved, DCSA’s membership will represent 70 percent of the global liner market.
“We are thrilled to have additional members joining the DCSA on our journey to drive standardization and interoperability in the industry,” said Thomas Bagge, Chief Executive of DCSA.
“It is critical for our success that the standards developed will be implemented, and the commitment and engagement of many container shipping lines is therefore crucial,” he added.
MSC’s Chief Information Officer Andres Simha chairs DCSA’s supervisory board. Other board members include Maersk’s Chief Technology Officer Adam Banks, CMA CGM Executive Vice President Rajesh Krishnamurthy, Hapag-Lloyd Managing Director Martin Gnass and ONE Managing Director Noriaki Yamaga.
Hapag-Lloyd’s head of customer relationships, Henning Schleyerbach, will also join DCSA directly as Chief Operating Officer.