Chongqing - A pilot project enabling fully digital cross-border trade through the use of an electronic Negotiable Cargo Document (eNCD) has completed its first transaction. 

The initiative, jointly guided by the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce and Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), represents a major step forward in efforts by Chongqing and Singapore to advance the practical implementation of the United Nations Convention on NCD Convention.

Singaporean buyer received the shipment and adopted the eNCD. (Photo/Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce)

Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 15, 2025, the NCD Convention provides a unified legal framework for negotiable cargo documents that serve as proof of ownership or control over goods while they are being transported. 

Unlike traditional bills of lading, which have mainly been used in maritime shipping, NCDs are designed to support all modes of transport, including road, rail, air and sea, and can be issued in either paper or electronic formats. 

The Convention aims to promote smoother trade financing, support multimodal transportation and accelerate the digital transformation of international trade. However, it has not yet entered into force, as its implementation still requires the necessary number of ratifications from participating countries.

The trial project, conducted under the framework of the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity, covers the entire trade process, from the signing of the domestic sales contract to the delivery of goods overseas. 

All key documents and processes were handled digitally through a closed-loop system, reducing the overall transaction cycle to less than one month. Documents were synchronized instantly across the platform, eliminating the need for physical delivery and repeated manual data entry while improving efficiency and reducing errors.

According to the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce, the transaction connected production and trade data across the supply chain. 

Chongqing-based Tinglai Green Food Development Co., Ltd. served as the supplier, while Singapore importer LE BUTLER (SG) PTE. LTD. was the buyer. Minsheng Integrated Logistics provided transportation services, with digital platform operators, inspection and declaration service providers, banks and other parties participating in the process.

The eNCD trial covered 12 key business stages and more than 20 types of documents, including production orders, raw-material inspection, cross-border fulfillment and payment settlement.

Production records, raw-material batches and factory inspection results were recorded on the digital platform and linked with customs, inspection and logistics data throughout the shipment. This created a traceable digital record covering the entire lifecycle of the goods—from production and trade to cross-border compliance and delivery. 

Buyers and regulators can verify relevant records in real time, providing greater visibility into both the origin and movement of the goods.

The eNCD provides digital cargo documents with the same legal standing as transferable title documents. It enables the online issuance, transfer, verification and surrender of cargo documents, while distributed ledger technology and cross-platform verification mechanisms allow banks, shipping companies, buyers and sellers using different systems to independently confirm document authenticity and verify rights to the goods.

By replacing the need to send physical documents and conduct manual checks, the system can greatly reduce processing time, administrative paperwork and the risk of errors in international trade.

The trial is part of broader efforts to translate the emerging international framework for negotiable cargo documents into practical applications. 

Chongqing has participated in the development and promotion of the NCD framework through international exchanges and pilot initiatives related to the UNCITRAL process. The initiative reflects ongoing cooperation between Chongqing and Singapore in exploring the use of digital technologies to improve efficiency, transparency and trust in cross-border trade.