NCD Convention, Membership, Free Webinar and HQ Team Updates

Advocacy: FIATA Shares Expertise at First ESCAP Workshop on the Negotiable Cargo Documents Convention

On 17 June, FIATA participated in the first United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) Workshop on the new UN Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents (NCD) in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Together with the UN Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), ESCAP and the International Chamber of Commerce Digital Standards Initiative (ICC DSI), FIATA contributed by sharing its experience and expertise, illustrated through a role-play exercise involving a banker, a shipper, and a freight forwarder, providing practical insight into the Convention's application.

The workshop was opened by Ms Azhar Jaimurzina, Chief of the Transport Connectivity and Logistics Section of the ESCAP Transport Division, who warmly welcomed the extraordinary presence of the FIATA Director General, Dr Stéphane Graber. This was followed by an introductory session by UNCITRAL Legal Officer Ms Yanying Li, who presented the Convention in detail, outlining its legal framework, key parameters, and relevance for multimodal transport and the development of dry ports.

To bring the concept of negotiable cargo documents to life, the FIATA Director General, together with Ms Jun Xu (Bank of China) and Ms Rhodalyn Djanitey (Chief Cargo and Logistics Officer at the Ghana Shippers Authority), delivered a role-play demonstrating the practical importance of NCDs. The exercise highlighted their impact on risk management and trade finance, as well as the decision-making processes behind their use in global trade.

This was followed by a presentation by the FIATA Director General on template NCDs, with a particular focus on the negotiable FIATA Multimodal Transport Bill of Lading (FBL) and its electronic version (eFBL), emphasising their role as the first globally recognised NCD. COSCO also presented its projected NCD solution, while the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) introduced its NCD Tracker, which enables Member States to monitor progress in terms of interest in and ratification of the Convention.

The session then turned to lessons learned from pilot projects. FIATA again led this discussion, highlighting its extensive experience with NCDs and the successful pilot implementations carried out during the development phase of the Convention. This was complemented by the practical experience shared by Ms Jun Xu of the Bank of China, who has already supported financing based on a FIATA eFBL in a pilot shipment of wheat transported by rail and road between Kazakhstan and China.

Following several additional academic and industry presentations, the workshop concluded with an interactive session featuring questions and statements from Member States. Participants acknowledged the significant potential of the NCD Convention, facilitating international trade, enabling the sale of goods in transit, promoting multimodal transport, and supporting the digitalisation of global trade.

At the same time, participants underlined the need for further capacity building, particularly with regard to the practical application of NCDs and their implications for trade, financing, freight forwarding, logistics operations, and the wider transport industry. They expressed strong interest in supporting further pilot projects prior to the Convention's entry into force.

In this context, participants invited the ESCAP Secretariat to continue its awareness-raising activities in the region and to explore opportunities for sustained collaboration with UNCITRAL, FIATA, ICC, and other relevant partners to advance the implementation of the Convention.

Membership: FIATA Director General Visits Association Member in Kazakhstan

From left to right: Ms Yelena Vassilevskaya, Projects Implementation Manager at ANEK and Deputy Director of the KFFA Training Centre; Mr Ilya Segal, Honorary Chairman of ANEK and Director of the ANEK Training Centre; Dr Stéphane Graber, Director General at FIATA; Ms Marina Rimskaya, Chief Expert at ANEK; Mr Ablaykhan Nurtazin, General Director at ANEK; Mr Sergey Stolyar, Executive Director at ANEK.

On the occasion of his participation in the 1st United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) workshop on the Convention for Negotiable Cargo Documents (NCD), the FIATA Director General took the opportunity to conduct an official visit to the Association of National Freight Forwarders of the Republic of Kazakhstan (ANEK), a valued FIATA Association Member representing more than 80 companies and strongly engaged in railway transport.

For over a quarter of a century, ANEK has been representing and protecting the interests of Kazakh freight forwarding companies. The Association performs key functions on behalf of the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan "Atameken" in the field of railway forwarding services. As part of the Union of Transport Workers of Kazakhstan "Kazlogistics", ANEK actively contributes to enhancing the performance and development of the national railway system.

As a FIATA Member, ANEK facilitates the issuance of internationally recognised FIATA documents to its members, supporting the reliable organisation of cargo delivery. Since 2001, ANEK has also been accredited by FIATA as a Training Centre, delivering the FIATA Diploma in International Freight Forwarding and Supply Chain Management through both online and in-person formats, as well as via the Centre for Multimodal Logistics and Transport (CMLT) e-learning platform.

Digitalisation: FIATA Presents the eFBL at the Eurasian Economic Forum in Astana

From left to right: Ms Anna Joubin-Bret, Secretary of UNCITRAL; Dr Stéphane Graber, Director General at FIATA.

On the occasion of the 2026 Eurasian Economic Forum in Astana, Kazakhstan, the FIATA Director General presented the digital, negotiable FIATA Multimodal Transport Bill of Lading (eFBL) as the first Negotiable Cargo Document (NCD), its relevance for the development of multimodal transport and the lessons learned from the pilots carried out to test the new Convention during its development phase at the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL).

As part of the session on international experience in advancing digital transformation in cross-border transport, the FIATA Director General's presentation brought the perspective of logistics operators on the new Convention and its benefits when associated with the long-standing global FBL standard. Carrying the provisions of the UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Transferable Records (MLETR) for the acceptance of electronic transferable records, the NCD also supports the digitalisation of logistics and reinforces the adoption of the eFBL, which fulfils the mandatory requirements for recognition as a digital NCD.

The presentation complemented the legal presentation of the Convention by UNCITRAL Secretary Ms Anna Joubin-Bret, who detailed the new legal framework adopted by the United Nations in December 2025.

International Cooperation: Kazakhstan Presidency Office Supports FIATA and Global DTC in Promoting Digital Logistics

From left to right: Mr Azamat Keskinbayev, Head of the Transport and Logistics Department at the Executive Office of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan; Mr Adil Smagulov, Project Manager at MCM; Mr Vlad Tsoy, Kazakhstan Railways (KTZ); Ms Alua Konirbayeva, Administration of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan; Ms Assel Zhanassova, Executive Office of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan; Dr Stéphane Graber, Director General at FIATA; Ms Alua Satybaldiyeva, Deputy CEO at Global DTC; Ms Zhanar Bagasharova, Director of Global Business Development and Business Excellence at Global DTC; Mr Rustem Sagiddinov, CEO at MCM.

In a high-level meeting with the Presidency Office of Kazakhstan, held on the sidelines of the 2026 Eurasian Economic Forum, the authorities of Kazakhstan expressed strong interest in supporting the Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents (NCD) and the digital negotiable FIATA Multimodal Transport Bill of Lading (eFBL) as one of the first multimodal negotiable cargo documents. The eFBL represents a unique transport document that can be used across all modes of transport.

This support echoes the engagement expressed by the Chinese Ministry of Transport during a recent high-level meeting with the FIATA Director General, for which a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is foreseen to strengthen cooperation in promoting multimodal transport and digitalisation between Central Asia and China.

For a landlocked territory such as Kazakhstan, the development of the NCD Convention is of particular importance, as it opens new opportunities for rail and road transport similar to those long established in maritime transport, thereby creating tangible advantages for Kazakh exporters.

The authorities also welcomed the digitalisation project led by DTZ, a subsidiary of PSA, focusing on the development of the digital Middle Corridor. This initiative involves the participation of FIATA and Middle Corridor Multimodal (MCM), a unique collaboration bringing together the railway corporations of China, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Georgia to promote multimodal transport along the corridor.

Through the partnership between DTZ, FIATA, and MCM, the first integrated digital transport corridor is taking shape, creating new business opportunities and facilitating trade for logistics companies operating in Central Asia and along the trade routes connecting China and Europe.

Trade Facilitation: FIATA Highlights the Role of Logistics and Digitalisation at the Kazakhstan Commodity Forum in Geneva

From left to right: Mr Richard Watts, Director at HR Maritime; Mr Timur Onzhanov, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board at Bayterek National Investment Holding; Dr Stéphane Graber, FIATA Director General; Mr Alexander Peters, Group Chief Financial Officer at TORQ Commodities; Mr Matthieu Delorme, Global Agribusiness Director at Saybolt International.

The Geneva Commodity Club and the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Switzerland, together with key stakeholders from the territory's commodities sector, organised a high-level forum on Kazakhstan commodities in Geneva, bringing together more than 200 senior participants, including representatives from government, business, and the international community.

Logistics featured prominently in the discussions. Representing FIATA, the Director General, Dr Stéphane Graber, emphasised that a commodity only reaches its full value once it can access international markets, underscoring the central role of logistics in enabling global trade.

The importance of the Middle Corridor was highlighted as a strategic route for Kazakhstan's trade development. In this context, digitalisation is playing an increasingly critical role. The recent adoption of the Negotiable Cargo Documents (NCD) Convention, combined with the joint efforts of FIATA, Digital Trade Corridor (DTC), and key corridor stakeholders, is accelerating the digitalisation of the Middle Corridor from China to Georgia. This collaboration is positioning the route as a strategic and competitive trade corridor for Central Asia, and in particular for Kazakhstan.

By enabling more efficient, secure, and paperless trade flows, including through the use of the electronic, negotiable FIATA Multimodal Transport Bill of Lading (eFBL), these initiatives will facilitate Kazakhstan's export of commodities to both China and Europe, strengthening market access and supporting the country's integration into global supply chains.

The intervention also underlined the key role of freight forwarders in organising and securing the movement of goods, particularly in times of supply chain disruptions and trade uncertainty, ensuring continuity, flexibility, and efficiency in global logistics.

International Trade and Law: China's Updated Maritime Code - Impact on Freight Forwarders Free Webinar

Join the free webinar China's Updated Maritime Code: Impact on Freight Forwarders on 29 June 2026 at 13:00 CEST.

China's Maritime Code has undergone its first comprehensive revision in over 30 years, introducing significant changes that will have a direct bearing on the freight forwarding industry. FIATA invites you to join this free webinar to understand what has changed, why it matters, and how it may affect your operations.

Mr Yuntao Yang, Chair of the FIATA Advisory Body on Legal Matters (ABLM), will share a general overview of the amendments to the Maritime Code and their broader implications for freight forwarders and Mr Lianjun Li, an experienced maritime lawyer practising in Mainland China and Hong Kong, will follow with practical insights into blocking measures in China, drawing on his hands-on legal experience in the field.

This webinar is particularly relevant for freight forwarders with operations in or exposure to China, and ample time will be set aside for questions and open discussion with the speakers.

Register for the free webinar here!

HQ Team Update: FIATA Welcomes New Expertise Supporting Membership, Administration and Office Management

FIATA is happy to welcome Ms Carole Cacheux to its HQ Team as Office Administrator, helping to support the Membership, Administration, Office Management and the organisation of the FIATA HQ Meeting.

Carole is an experienced Office Manager with an international background in banking and corporate environments, having supported senior executives, board members, and governance bodies for over 15 years. Prior to joining FIATA, she managed complex administrative operations and corporate governance processes, bringing professionalism, discretion, and strong organisational skills to the role.

HQ Team Update: FIATA Welcomes New Expertise to Support Legal, Air Freight and Trade Facilitation

FIATA is pleased to welcome Ms Margarita Kato to its HQ Team as International Trade Law Officer, supporting the Advisory Body on Legal Matters (ABLM) and the Airfreight Institute (AFI).

Margarita is an English solicitor and holds an LL.B degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Prior to joining FIATA, Margarita was the Representative of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Arbitration and Mediation Center's Office in Singapore and practised as a solicitor at the law firm Holman Fenwick Willan (HFW) in London.

Upcoming FIATA Events

• 2026 Statutory General Meeting, Online: 26 June 2026
• 2026 FIATA World Congress, Milan, Italy: 6-9 October 2026
• 2026 FIATA-Region Africa and the Middle East Field Meeting, Doha, Qatar: 9-10 November 2026
• 2026 FIATA-Region Americas Field Meeting, Cartagena, Colombia: 25-27 November 2026