Tata Steel completes first paperless import shipment with full bank-integrated eB/L - Trade Treasury Payments

Tata Steel has executed its first fully digital import shipment using an electronic Bill of Lading (eBL) integrated with banking systems.

The shipment involved coal imported from Queensland, Australia to Dhamra Port in Odisha and was conducted under a Letter of Credit. The transaction was supported by ICE Digital Trade’s eBL platform, in coordination with Tata Steel India, TS Global Procurement, ICICI Bank, and Standard Chartered Bank (Singapore).

This is Tata Steel’s first import transaction under a Letter of Credit to be processed entirely without physical documentation. 

Peeyush Gupta, Vice President, TQM, GSP & Supply Chain at Tata Steel, said, “By embracing eB/L, we are cutting through traditional bottlenecks and setting a new standard for how goods move globally.”

The company has previously implemented systems such as Digi Bill for inbound material documentation and Margdarshak for vehicle tracking. Additionally, Tata Steel has introduced emission-efficient vessels and increased the use of LNG and biofuel-powered ships as part of its environmental strategy.

ICICI Bank, which provided transactional banking support, described the integration as part of its ongoing digitisation roadmap. Standard Chartered also supported through its Singapore operations. 

In 2021, Tata Steel completed pilots of a blockchain-enabled, paperless export shipment to buyers in the UAE and Bangladesh, which included breakbulk, container, and road shipments.

The current eBL transaction is another step for the company towards broader digitalisation. Tata Steel has announced plans to expand digital documentation practices across additional supply chain and procurement functions.