AMSTERDAM: April 15, 2019. A.P. Møller – Mærsk, Hapag Lloyd, MSC and Ocean Network Express have formed the Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA) following regulatory approval from the US Federal Maritime Commission.

Originally announced in November 2018 with the inclusion of CMA CGM, the DCSA launch was subsequently delayed by Donald Trump shutting down parts of the US government for 35 days in December/January.

Newly-appointed CEO Thomas Bagge, a former employee of Maersk Transport & Logistics, said the DCSA is a neutral non-profit organization to drive interoperability in the shipping industry through standardization. According to his LinkedIn profile, Bagge has over 10 years of experience in dealing with C-level executives in multinational organizations.

DCSA Board members also include chairman André Simha (pictured), MSC CIO; Adam Banks, Maersk CTO/CIO; Martin Gnass, Hapag Lloyd managing director IT; and Noriaki Yamaga, managing director Corporate & Innovation ONE.

“For the first time in 20 years the container shipping industry has come together with a common goal to move the industry into the digital era,” observed Simha. “With the regulatory approval in place, we look forward for the association to take up work and to begin to collaborate with multiple stakeholders from the entire value chain.”

The association said it has “no intention of developing or operating any digital platform” and won’t exchange any commercial or competitive information. The goal is to develop IT and security standards that help to exchange data for the benefit of the entire container shipping industry, its partners and stakeholders. One of its first projects is focusing on standards to overcome the lack of a common foundation for technical interfaces and data.