Global Shipping Business Network (GSBN) has integrated its API with ODeX to enable the processing of IQAX electronic bills of lading (eBL) directly within a single workflow, advancing paperless trade across global supply chains.
The integration allows users to receive, transfer and surrender IQAX eBLs within the ODeX platform, removing the need for multiple standalone systems.
GSBN said the aim is to reduce manual handling, limit documentation errors and improve processing speed and transparency across trade flows.
Fragmentation across digital platforms has remained a key barrier to wider eBL adoption. The GSBN–ODeX connection is designed to address this by embedding eBL functionality into existing documentation and cargo release processes.
The collaboration has already supported its first live shipment, a Hapag-Lloyd service from Mundra, India to Chicago, US, for Transmarinus Inc.
ODeX, which is widely used in India’s export-import documentation ecosystem, has expanded its integration footprint across ports and carriers, completing eight new integrations over the past year.
GSBN said the integration will also support closer linkage between eBLs and wider trade documentation flows, improving connectivity across digital supply chains.
READ: GSBN achieves breakthrough in Asia’s digital trade finance
Bertrand Chen, Chief Executive Officer of GSBN, said: “One of the biggest challenges to scaling eBL today is the major fragmentation across systems and platforms. GSBN’s mission is to provide the neutral trust layer to connect these environments. By integrating with ODeX and enabling IQAX eBL within existing workflows, we are reducing complexity for users and making eBL easier to adopt at scale across the complete trade ecosystem.”
For carriers, the shift is increasingly linked to efficiency and documentation integrity across shipment lifecycles.
Sanjay Singh Kushwah, Managing Director – India, Sri Lanka & Bangladesh at Hapag-Lloyd, stated: “By moving Bills of Lading onto IQAX eBL over GSBN and making them accessible through ODeX in India, we reduce delays, costs, and avoidable disputes tied to couriered and stamped paper documents. This collaboration strengthens the integrity of our shipment documentation and advances how Hapag-Lloyd manages the shipment lifecycle in a more digital, resilient and trusted way.”
ODeX said the focus is on embedding eBL capability within familiar workflows to reduce operational friction.
Liji Nowal, Chief Executive Officer of ODeX, said: “Our customers want paperless efficiency without sacrificing ease-of-use. This collaboration with GSBN and IQAX brings eBL capabilities into the ODeX experience, enabling secure issuance, transfer, and surrender in one place. We are excited to help the market move faster, with better visibility and fewer manual steps.”
GSBN said the integration reflects growing momentum toward interoperable digital trade systems, with further expansion planned across its ecosystem to support broader paperless trade adoption.
For more information:
Global Shipping Business Network – https://gsbn.trade/
