Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IMLThe open source approach becomes the de facto standard: Interchangeable shipping documents for international road freight transport (CMR) will be created electronically in the future, thereby stabilizing supply chains. The electronic consignment note (eCMR) facilitates the creation, storage, and transmission of digital consignment notes, including machine-readable formats. It adheres to established templates and international standards, ensuring consistency and reliability in documentation.
Transforming Logistics with eCMR
Digitize transport documentation
Every transport through Germany and Europe causes administrative work that involves numerous manually performed tasks. The consignment note for international road freight transport (CMR) was introduced in 1956 and has been paper-based ever since, with the CMR member states precisely defining what information the consignment note must contain. This ensures that transports can run smoothly even beyond national borders. The CMR specifies, among other things, the goods being transported, who is sending them, who is carrying out the transport, and who is ultimately receiving them – transmission errors and a multitude of different formats included. With this in mind, researchers at Fraunhofer IML have developed a service for generating, storing, and sharing digital consignment notes in a human- and machine-readable format as part of the “Silicon Economy” development project.
With the development of the digital consignment note (eCMR) for international road freight transport, researchers have laid the foundation for a new de facto standard in cross-border freight transport. The authenticity and integrity of transport information are guaranteed by a digital signature, a version history that includes all changes, and the storage of the hash value in a blockchain. During implementation, a lot of attention is being paid to using existing standards. For example, the UN/CEFACT data standard, the CMR template from the IRU (International Road Transport Union), and the ECDSA signature procedure are being used. The eCMR is being further developed for industrial implementation in the corresponding working group of the Open Logistics Foundation.
The functional requirements for a digital eCMR document
Various functions are associated with the CMR as a paper document: It serves as an information medium for carriers and authorities, provides evidence of the basic characteristics of a transport operation, and constitutes proof of delivery to the consignee. The electronic CMR must meet various functional requirements as well:
Integrity
Data must not be changed without notice. All changes must be traceable.
Confidentiality
Transport information may only be read or modified by authorized users.
Authenticity
The authenticity, verifiability, and reliability of the data must be technologically guaranteed.
Attributability
An action that has been performed must be clearly assignable to a communication partner.
These IT components are available as open source
The eCMR service consists of three partial results, which are available as open source and may be viewed in the repository.
eCMR data model: Describes what information is contained in an electronic consignment note.
eCMR service: Consists of a front end, a back end, and interfaces for importing or exporting the eCMR.
eSeal: An electronic seal implementation that can be used for electronic signatures.
Benefits of a paperless eCMR document
Electronic transport documents offer a great opportunity to automate and link manual processes and activities.
- Standardization
- Reduced process effort
- Creation of transparency
- Reduction of administrative effort
- Savings in paper / CO2 footprint
- Improved data quality
- Faster flow of information
Why open source makes sense for eCMR
The open source approach offers the opportunity to establish an essential standard for digital consignment notes. In theory, there does not need to be a single solution for digital consignment notes, however, all solutions must be compatible with each other. Since this solution for eCMR is being developed and published as open source, it can be used by companies throughout the supply chain. This approach eliminates the necessity for substantial investments in developing suitable interfaces. In this context, standardization and digitalization are mutually dependent. Individual and isolated digital solutions demand considerable effort to achieve compatibility, especially in the logistics sector.
Whether for collaborative development or individual use, open-source software provides numerous advantages in this regard:
Resource-efficient: Shared IT resources for digitalization
Logistics standard: Standard for digitalized transport information
Compatibility: A common baseline for all organizations
Universal documents: CMR is not a unique selling point
FAQ about open source eCMR
Is the open source eCMR legally valid?
Yes, the eCMR complies with the requirements of the CMR Convention and its additional protocols. It is legally valid in many European countries and meets international standards for digital consignment notes.
How does the eCMR differ from traditional paper consignment notes?
The eCMR replaces the physical document with a digital solution. This speeds up processing, reduces sources of error, and simplifies administrative work.
What technical requirements are necessary?
Digital freight documents can be utilized through web-based platforms or seamlessly integrated into existing transport management systems.
What are the advantages of a continuous digital process?
Digital processes streamline operations by eliminating manual steps, minimizing errors, and ensuring faster processing along with improved traceability.
How secure are digital processes and data?
Digital solutions utilize encrypted data transfers to ensure secure data exchange, backed by user access rights for enhanced protection.
Why is the de facto standardization of eCMR data important?
A standardized eCMR data format guarantees interoperable communication across systems and consistent data processing.
What does open source mean for eCMR?
Open source means that the eCMR is freely available and customizable. Companies can use the code, expand it, and integrate it into their existing systems without paying license fees.
Which systems are compatible with eCMR?
The eCMR can be connected to transport management systems (TMS), ERP software, fleet management tools, and customs systems via standardized APIs and EDI interfaces.
What advantages does the digital version offer compared to paper consignment notes?
- Faster processing without manual errors
- Better traceability through real-time documentation
- Reduced administrative costs and lower paper consumption
- Greater transparency through secure, digital storage
How can my company implement eCMR?
Companies can directly download the open-source eCMR and integrate it into their existing systems. Should any adjustments be required, the IT department or an external provider can customize the software accordingly.
Where can I download the open source eCMR?
The open source eCMR is available via the Open Logistics Foundation platform, where it can be downloaded along with technical documentation.