Transforming Logistics with eCMR

The open source approach becomes the de facto standard: The eCMR is the digital version of the CMR consignment note, a standardized transport document used in international cross-border road freight transport. It replaces the paper-based document that has been in use since 1956 and enables transport orders to be processed entirely digitally. And all this as an open source implementation for easy interoperability across the industry and industry-wide acceptance.

Digitize transport documentation

Every transport through Germany and Europe causes administrative work that involves numerous manually performed tasks. The consignment note for international road freight transport (CMR) was introduced in 1956 and has been paper-based ever since, with the CMR member states precisely defining what information the consignment note must contain. This ensures that transports can run smoothly even beyond national borders. The CMR specifies, among other things, the goods being transported, who is sending them, who is carrying out the transport, and who is ultimately receiving them – transmission errors and a multitude of different formats included. With this in mind, researchers at Fraunhofer IML have developed a service for generating, storing, and sharing digital consignment notes in a human- and machine-readable format as part of the “Silicon Economy” development project.

With the development of the digital consignment note (eCMR) for international road freight transport, researchers have laid the foundation for a new de facto standard in cross-border freight transport. The authenticity and integrity of transport information are guaranteed by a digital signature, a version history that includes all changes, and the storage of the hash value in a blockchain. During implementation, a lot of attention is being paid to using existing standards. For example, the UN/CEFACT data standard, the CMR template from the IRU (International Road Transport Union), and the ECDSA signature procedure are being used. The eCMR is being further developed for industrial implementation in the corresponding working group of the Open Logistics Foundation.

The eCMR comprises several open source components

The eCMR service consists of four partial results that are available as open source in the repository, where they can be viewed, downloaded, and used for free.

eCMR data model

The standardized data model for eCMR. The data model describes what information is contained in an electronic consignment note.

eCMR API

Describes how eCMRs can be generated, edited, and shared with other partners.

 

The individual partial results can be found in the repository.

All software components of the digital consignment note have been developed specifically for industrial use and have been subjected to practical testing in pilot projects and reference implementations. Source codes and reference implementations are available to companies free of charge in the Open Logistics Foundation repository.

eCMR service

Consists of a front end and a back end, implements the eCMR API, and includes functions for creating, managing, and exchanging an eCMR.

eSeal

Implementation of electronic seals for digital signatures by companies (signed by legal persons) and for ensuring the integrity of documents. The implementation complies with the EU eIDAS Regulation.

Benefits of the paperless eCMR

Electronic transport documents offer a great opportunity to automate and link previously manual processes and activities.

  • Create and exchange transport documents completely digitally and without media discontinuity
  • Reduce manual rework and avoid errors
  • Handle international shipments in a legally compliant, transparent, and secure manner
  • Integrate the solution into existing systems and thus automate processes
  • Promote and further develop an open, interoperable standard together with other players
  • Save paper / reduce your carbon footprint

Why open source makes sense for eCMR

The open source approach offers the opportunity to establish an essential standard for digital consignment notes. In theory, there does not need to be a single solution for digital consignment notes, however, all solutions must be compatible with each other. Since this solution for eCMR is being developed and published as open source, it can be used by companies throughout the supply chain. This approach eliminates the necessity for substantial investments in developing suitable interfaces. In this context, standardization and digitalization are mutually dependent. Individual and isolated digital solutions demand considerable effort to achieve compatibility, especially in the logistics sector.

Whether for collaborative development or individual use, open-source software provides numerous advantages in this regard:

Interoperability:

Uniform interfaces and data models enable seamless integration into the existing IT systems of all participants.

Transparency:

Open source code creates trust and traceability in terms of function, security, and further development.

Collaboration:

Companies, associations, and research institutions develop a practical standard together rather than in isolation.

Cost reduction:

No license costs, reusability of components, and lower integration costs.

Innovation driver:

Open further development by the community and new functionalities based on real requirements from logistics.

Independence:

Avoidance of lock-in effects by proprietary providers – full control over your own processes and data.

eCMR - Using the open source approach to set the de facto standard

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FAQ about open source eCMR