Electronic Bills Of Lading Legal Research

With the developing of the technology of modern shipping and communication, the speed of ship in modern shipping business is getting faster, but the circulation of bill of lading under the traditional mode remains the same speed, so the goods must resort in the recipient port to wait for the papery bill of lading, so the so called "bill of lading crisis" occurred. The fundamental way to solve the crisis is to speed up the running of the bill of lading. The developing of the technology of electronic commerce makes the electronic bill of lading become true and this is the most feasible and effective way to solve the "bill of lading crisis".The main legal matters on electronic bill of lading are whether electronic file of bill of lading can play the same role as the traditional papery bill of lading on its function and legal force. This paper study these issues from legislative and practice angles of view respectively, and bring forward legislative proposals for Chinese electronic bill of lading practice.There are three main practices of electronic bill of lading in the world, the SeaDocs electronic B/L, rule of electronic bill of lading of Committee Maritime International, and the Bolero electronic bill of lading system. Writer introduces and contrast analysis these three practices in this paper, and bring forward the conception of electronic bill of lading on the true meaning. The latest international legislation relating to electronic bill of lading is the United Nations', although it is not into effect now, but we can believe that it will smoothes the legislative obstructions to adopt electronic bill of lading in the international sea-carrying trade, it may unify the maritime law of all the country in using electronic bill of lading, and it is helpful to popularize the electronic bill of lading.