Under IATA DGR, how may electronic shipping documents be used?

Under IATA DGR, how may electronic shipping documents be used?

• A. They may be accepted as the official record if permitted by the carrier, with proper retention and readability.
• B. They must always be printed on paper regardless of carrier.
• C. They are never accepted as the official record.
• D. They may be used only for domestic shipments.

Answer: (A)

Electronic shipping documents may serve as the official record under IATA DGR, provided the carrier agrees to accept them and the document is retained in a readable, retrievable form for the required retention period. This reflects the push toward paperless documentation like the electronic airway bill (e-AWB), while preserving the ability for authorities to inspect and verify shipment details. The key is that the electronic record must be accessible and legible at all times during the retention period, and it must be accepted by the carrier for the specific shipment. It isn’t limited to domestic shipments, and it isn’t automatically required to be printed; the electronic version can be the official record when permitted.

Electronic shipping documents may serve as the official record under IATA DGR, provided the carrier agrees to accept them and the document is retained in a readable, retrievable form for the required retention period. This reflects the push toward paperless documentation like the electronic airway bill (e-AWB), while preserving the ability for authorities to inspect and verify shipment details. The key is that the electronic record must be accessible and legible at all times during the retention period, and it must be accepted by the carrier for the specific shipment. It isn’t limited to domestic shipments, and it isn’t automatically required to be printed; the electronic version can be the official record when permitted.