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China’s Maritime Code took effect on May 1st 2026 – its first rewrite since 1993

China’s Maritime Code took effect on May 1st 2026 – its first rewrite since 1993.

For the first time, electronic bills of lading are legally recognized in China under statute.

For anyone handling BLs on China trades – in a bank’s documentary team, a commodity trader’s operations desk, or a shipowner’s operations – this changes the practical landscape.

We have prepared a short practical guide covering:

  • What the new Chinese law actually says about eBLs?
  • How Chinese courts will assess the validity of an eBL in practice?
  • Why Chinese consignees can always file cargo claims under Chinese law – regardless of the governing law on your B/L?
  • How Secro’s interoperability arrangement with GSBN and IQAX addresses the main open regulatory question?

 

The paper is written for operational teams, not lawyers. Lawyers are welcome too – we invite them to reach out directly at [email protected].

 

Link to guide: Secro_China_eBL_WhitePaper
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SECRO® 2026. All Rights Reserved.

Andrew Sanaghan
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COO

Experienced fintech and banking leader with a strong track record in scaling businesses and driving digital transformation. He most recently served as Managing Director at My Pulse, a SAAS data analytics provider, rapidly scaling the company from concept to revenue generation. Previously, as COO and Global Head of Financial Services at Validis, he led major growth initiatives. Andrew has also held senior roles at Deloitte, Lloyds Banking Group, and HSBC, with deep expertise in commercial banking and technology-driven solutions.

Giovanni Agostinelli
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Strategic Advisor

Giovanni “Gio” Agostinelli brings investment-grade technology assessment expertise that directly accelerates Secro clients’ scaling success. As Partner at Sway Ventures, Giovanni has mastered the art of identifying breakthrough technologies before they achieve widespread recognition, backing companies like Outbuild, Measurabl, Slingshot Aerospace, and Tally Technologies through their critical growth phases. His rigorous due diligence framework helps Secro clients answer the questions that matter most: Is this technology truly transformative? Can it scale commercially across global markets? What does successful adoption look like? Drawing from cross-sector experience spanning renewable energy infrastructure at ThomasLloyd Group to enterprise IT software investments, Giovanni provides Secro clients with the same analytical rigor and commercial scaling intelligence that guides multi-million dollar technology investment decisions across the US and Europe, enabling them to transform proven innovations into industry-wide solutions with confidence.

Nakul Malhotra​
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Strategic Advisor

Nakul Malhotra is Vice President of Emerging Opportunities at Wilhelmsen Group, leading corporate venturing across internal venture building, external innovation partnerships and early-stage maritime VC investments. A marine engineer by training with over 30 years of international maritime commercial, operational and management experience, he holds qualifications in marine engineering, business management and has direct seafaring experience.

Active in the global maritime innovation ecosystem, Nakul serves on multiple boards and advisory boards, mentors in incubators and accelerators worldwide, and is a Fellow or Chartered Fellow of leading professional maritime institutions. He contributes to industry committees including the Singapore Shipping Association’s Digital Transformation Committee and the Maritime Innovation Committee of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects, and is an Investment Committee member for the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore’s MINT Fund. He is a strong advocate for sustainability, inclusion and the fusion of maritime domain expertise with emerging technologies.

Christophe Salmon
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Strategic Advisor

Christophe Salmon was CFO of Trafigura from 2015 to 2024. He previously led commodity finance at BNP Paribas. At Trafigura, he managed global finance operations and helped strengthen the firm’s capital structure before retiring, handing over to successor Stephan Jansma.