Tata Steel, HSBC execute blockchain enabled trade transaction, IT News, ET CIO

Mumbai, April 22, 2021: Tata Steel and HSBC successfully execute a blockchain-enabled, paperless trade transaction – a world very first for the metal industry. The live trade finance transaction involved the export of steel by Tata Metal, India to Common Tube & Plastic Industries, UAE.

The end-to-end paperless trade transaction, executed around the Contour system was manufactured feasible by a exceptional collaboration pivoted by Tata Metal across the spectrum above the Contour and essDOCS platforms. The Letter of Credit score (LC) was issued by HSBC UAE for Common Tube & Plastic Industries, UAE (importer) with HSBC India as the advising and negotiating bank for Tata Metal, India (exporter).

This transaction validates the commercial and operational viability of blockchain as an option to regular exchanges for paper-dependent documentation. Tata Metal has also signalled its intent to discover identical opportunities in other geographies in the upcoming.

Peeyush Gupta, VP (Metal Promoting & Income), Tata Steel, claimed: “We repeatedly leverage our in-dwelling opportunity and that of the exterior ecosystems by means of carefully curated partnerships to drive innovation. Adoption of this system is in line with our objective of agility and enabling a faceless but trusted all-time interface to much better customer expertise. This one of a kind initiative, executed in collaboration with HSBC, demonstrates our ongoing endeavours to lead technological innovation led disruptions by difficult the standing quo and reimagining the world-wide trade set-up.”

Commenting on the transaction, Hitendra Dave, Head-Worldwide Banking & Marketplaces, HSBC India, stated “Having pioneered the deployment of Blockchain know-how in trade finance, we are targeted on boosting its utilisation throughout a wider spectrum of trade finance transactions. We’re delighted to lover with Tata Metal in this landmark transaction for the steel industry. This transaction is a important stage in the direction of the mass commercialisation and adoption of this know-how and we seem ahead to its transformative impression on trade finance.”

How it is effective
Contour, which has been designed on blockchain technological know-how has enabled in depth digitisation of the end-to-stop Letter of Credit transaction including the e-presentation of trade documents. Contour permits the underlying LC trade transaction to be fully digitised from the LC issuance to the presentation of documents. It also enables transaction parties to transfer, handle and present digital Payments of Lading (eB/Ls) and supporting paperwork inside its system by using the interface with essDOCS’ CargoDocs system.

Positive aspects

With trade documents digitised, corporates can cut down the expenses associated with handling paper-based mostly documents, its reconciliation and streamline their processing move. The use of blockchain engineering in trade finance permits thorough visibility for all included get-togethers and increased stability. Importantly, it assists to considerably lower the doc negotiation and banking transaction cycle times from 7 days(s) to a few times, thus aiding unlocking of functioning funds for corporations. It also allows to improve the velocity of trade, particularly in situations where shipping and delivery routes are rather small.

Getting rid of the hurdles of shut-proximity trade

UAE is India’s third most significant trade partner and enhanced financial collaboration between the two is anticipated to even more drive up their bilateral trade. Though the actual physical transfer of products among India and UAE takes a fairly limited time, the administrative paperwork can delay their delivery. Lessened transaction times will aid improve the performance of trade in the India-UAE corridor that is characterised by several shut-proximity transport routes.