IMDA launches TradeTrust Readiness Programme to enhance adoption of electronic bills of lading

26 February 2026

On 4 February 2026, the Info-communications Media Development Authority of Singapore (“IMDA”) launched the TradeTrust Readiness Programme (“Programme”), an initiative to accelerate the adoption of digital trade solutions in the maritime sector. The Programme, which was announced at TradeTrust Appreciation Day 2026, will support partnerships between digital trade platforms (“DTPs”) and shipping carriers to demonstrate that electronic bills of lading (“eBLs”) can be used seamlessly across different digital platforms. 

Programme to drive maritime industry adoption and coordination 

The Programme addresses a key barrier to eBL adoption, namely, the lack of coordination across carriers and DTPs, which has slowed industry take-up. Carriers are often reluctant to commit without assurance that their partners are ready, while platforms face challenges driving adoption without carrier participation. By supporting paired DTP-carrier implementations, the Programme aligns incentives across the supply chain and reduces risks for both parties. 

The Programme is designed to ensure close collaboration between the DTP-carrier pair to showcase real-world, cross-platform use of eBLs. Each participating pair will receive funding support upon achieving three key milestones: successful TradeTrust integration, completion of at least three live eBL transactions across different platforms, and successful interoperability with another TradeTrust-enabled platform.

The Programme, which opened for applications in February 2026, will run until March 2027. It is open to DTP-carrier pairs where the lead applicant must be a Singapore-registered enterprise, with international partners eligible to participate. 

Global maritime insurance approval to accelerate digital trade adoption 

Beyond the Programme, TradeTrust has received significant industry validation that further accelerates digital trade adoption. The International Group of Protection and Indemnity Clubs has approved four TradeTrust-enabled platforms, giving electronic trade documents the same legal status as paper documents for insured maritime trade. This establishes the commercial viability of TradeTrust-enabled platforms and strengthens confidence in electronic trade documents. 

IMDA reported that the approvals were achieved by adopting TradeTrust Model Terms, which provide standardised legal frameworks that enable platforms to secure regulatory and industry approval more efficiently. 

Reference materials 

The press release is available on the IMDA website www.imda.gov.sg.