A recent order from China for British Steel track shoes profiles has made its mark in UK shipping history as British Steel became the first shipper in the UK to be issued with an electronic bill of lading by MSC UK. The consignment which influenced the new way of working was a total of 800 tonnes of track shoes for 2 different customers in mainland China. Jingye Sales Manager Mr Daniel Zhou managed the collaboration between British Steel’s Special Profiles mill in Skinningrove in UK and Hebei Xing Jing Trading Division in China. Mr Daniel said: “Working in this way, we can deliver high-quality products to our customer warehouse in China and alleviate the end customer of all the complexities of importing and customs clearance. Hebei Xing Jing was issued with its eBL in early October, completing the shipping documentation process.”
A bill of lading is a crucial document for ensuring exporters receive payment and importers receive their goods. It is issued by a carrier once a vessel has sailed and includes details such as shipper, customer, number of goods, container, seal numbers and weight per container. An eBL can now be used if a shipment requires an original bill of lading, cargo cannot be released by the shipping line when it arrives at its destination port without the original bill of lading being surrendered. Traditionally, the shipping documentation process has been paper-based, meaning that documentation must be couriered around the world, taking time and adding cost. Using an eBL, however, means the cargo can be discharged without delay.
British Steel’s track shoe sections deliver benefits for heavy equipment performance and customer processes. British Steel has the capability to manufacture profiles from 170mm to over 350mm wide in single, double and triple grouser (spike) designs
