China’s Maritime Code took effect on May 1st 2026 – its first rewrite since 1993
This introduction links to a guide on China’s Maritime Code and electronic bills of lading. It highlights questions about governing law, counterparties and cross-border adoption that require transaction-specific legal review.
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 sales@secro.io.
Link to guide: Secro_China_eBL_WhitePaper