UN/CEFACT PUBLISHES WHITE PAPER ON COMMON OPERATIONAL DATA FOR MULTIMODAL TRANSPORT
UN/CEFACT has published a new White Paper on Common Operational Data for Multimodal Transport, proposing a common approach to representing information generated during transport planning, execution, and operational adjustments across modes, organisations and IT systems. The aim is to improve supply chain visibility and interoperability while reducing duplicate data collection.
At its core is the principle “Record once, use many times”: operational data captured at source can be reused for business, regulatory and analytical purposes. For freight forwarders coordinating multiple transport legs and service providers, this could help reduce repeated data entry and the reconciliation of inconsistent information between systems.
The paper explores how a common operational data foundation can support end-to-end freight visibility, planning and dynamic re-planning when delays or disruptions occur. It also considers applications in sustainability and emissions reporting, regulatory compliance and performance monitoring.
The approach complements existing UN/CEFACT standards, including the Buy–Ship–Pay and Multimodal Transport Reference Data Models, by focusing on the underlying operational facts generated during transport activities. Its practical relevance lies in enabling the same information to serve several purposes, supporting better coordination across multimodal supply chains and more efficient reporting.
The White Paper is available on the UNECE website.