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Singapore, Oakland, CA, London, 4 June, 2003 – Container carrier APL today
announced it has developed, and launched globally, software that allows customers
with limited or no Internet access to submit bill of lading (BL) instructions
electronically.
The product, known as BL Instructions (Desktop), allows customers to create instructions
offline in a pre-determined format, and then e-mail them direct to APL. It is
particularly efficient and cost effective for those small and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs), which currently fax instructions that have to be re-keyed into the APL
system.
BL Instructions (Desktop) was developed in-house in response to customer needs,
in this instance, by APL India’s IT team. After a successful late 2002 launch
there, where many customers have limited or no Internet access, the software is
now available in more than 30 countries.
Phillip Chin, APL’s Vice President, E-Commerce Products, said, “This product allows
customers with limited Internet access to submit BL instructions at anytime with
any e-mail system anywhere in the world, and send multiple instructions simultaneously.
It also provides them with instant e-mail responses from APL, which reassures
the customer that APL has received their instructions, allowing them to focus
on other important areas of their business.”
BL Instructions (Desktop) has, alongside APL’s suite of Web-enabled BL tools,
helped customers achieve full compliance with the Advance Manifest component of
the Container Security Initiative (CSI), which requires information about goods
being shipped to the United States to be lodged with US Customs at least 24 hours
before being loaded.
Ted Fordney, APL’s Vice President for Marketing, Customer Support & E-commerce,
said, “We are actively encouraging customers to file the information for US Customs
via our e-commerce channels. It saves customers money as e-filing costs just US$10,
whereas there is a US$30 charge for filing by fax, plus it saves us time and the
need to re-key data.”
APL’s innovative approach to e-commerce has been recognized both inside and outside
of the cargo transportation industry. Late last year, for example, APL was named
top IT innovator at the inaugural Asia Logistics Awards. BtoB magazine named APL
one of the top business-to-business (B2B) web sites, for the second time in 2002,
and it was named in the top 100 of InformationWeek’s Top 500 IT innovators for
2002. More Awards>>
For more information on APL’s suite of BL services and solutions visit http://www.apl.com/html/bills_of_lading.html
About APL
APL provides customers around the world with container transportation services
through a network combining high-quality intermodal operations with state-of-the-art
information technology. APL’s sister company APL
Logistics offers end-to-end supply chain management services enabled by leading
information technology. Both companies are subsidiaries of Singapore-based Neptune
Orient Lines (NOL), a global transportation and logistics company engaged
in shipping and related businesses. Its IT function is managed in Oakland, California.
Media
Inquiries
APL
Americas:
Scott Dailey, tel: +1-650-369-4451 or scott_dailey@apl.com
Asia/Middle East:
Paul Barrett, tel: +65-6371-5541 or paul_barrett@apl.com
Europe:
Michael Haig, tel: +44-1737-248-300 or michael@isiscomms.com
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