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HKSAR Government Marine Department Dangerous Goods Manifest
Submission by ebMS in Production
Hong Kong SAR, Peoples Republic of China - 3 September
2003 - Center for
E-Commerce Infrastructure Development (CECID), Department
of Computer Science (CS), The University of Hong Kong (HKU)
is pleased to announce that Phase I of the XML Dangerous
Goods Manifest Submission project is completed. Marine Department
of the Hong Kong SAR Government has rolled out to production
its Dangerous Goods Manifest Submission system using the
open-source ebXML Message Service Handler implementation,
Hermes. Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) is the first
shipping company equipped to use this new submission channel.
System development work for another shipping company, APL,
is underway and is expected to be ready later this year.
Started as a pilot project in June 2002 by CECID, the ebMS
electronic submission system deploys ebXML technology to
send and receive dangerous goods (DG) manifests in XML format.
The computer system in OOCL can now generate DG manifests
and send them to Marine Department's computer system over
a Virtual Private Network (VPN). Information re-typing and
data entry errors are eliminated. The new submission system
also improves the efficiency in information flow with the
capability of sharing of captured data.
Phase 2 of the project to enhance new features has begun.
Enhanced features will allow Marine Department's computer
to send DG manifest receipt acknowledgements to the shipping
company's computer (i.e. two-way transaction). Shipping
companies will also be able to submit manifest cancellation
and amendment notices to Marine Department using ebMS, in
addition to the current telephone and fax modes.
In production use, this submission system deploys Hermes
in its document transport layer. Hermes is a Message Service
Handler (MSH) implementation that is in compliance with
the OASIS ebXML Message Service (ebMS) V2 Standard. The
submission system exploits some of Hermes' features such
as message packaging, reliable messaging, error handling,
RDBMS persistent storage, SOAP, and HTTP features, to achieve
reliability and security in the business document exchange
process.
About Marine Department of the Hong Kong SAR Government (http://www.mardep.gov.hk)
The Port of Hong Kong has been one of the busiest container
ports in the world. It also remains one of the busiest in
terms of vessel arrivals and departures, and cargo and passenger
throughput.
Being the administrator of the port, Marine Department's principal
function is to ensure safe operation of the port and all Hong
Kong waters as well as the administration of the Hong Kong
Shipping Register. The Department's mission is "to promote
excellence in marine services". Keeping in touch with
the world through the Internet is one of the many measures
the Department has taken to achieve that goal.
About Orient Overseas Container Line (http://www.oocl.com/main_flash.htm)
A public company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange,
OOCL is one of the world's largest integrated international
container transportation, logistics and terminal companies
and, is one of Hong Kong's most recognised global brands,
providing customers with fully integrated logistics and
containerized transportation services, with a network encompassing
Asia, Europe, North America and Australasia. OOCL is well
respected in the industry with a reputation for providing
customer-focused solutions, a quality through excellence
approach and continual innovation. OOCL pioneered transportation
coverage of China and is an industry leader in information
technology.
About APL (http://www.apl.com/index.html)
APL provides customers around the world with container transportation
services through a network combining high-quality intermodal
operations with state-of-the-art information technology.
APL is a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore-based Neptune
Orient Lines, a global transportation and logistics company
engaged in shipping and related businesses. APL has offices
in more than 80 countries worldwide. While shipping continues
to be an important business, APL's business has expanded
to assist retailers, manufacturers and other customers to
manage their own supply chains in whole or to manage distinct
and individual links of those supply chains, such as shipping.
About CECID (http://www.cecid.hku.hk)
Established in January 2002, the Center for E-Commerce Infrastructure
Development (CECID) at the University of Hong Kong conducts
e-commerce research and development with the vision of helping
organizations increase their competitiveness in the global
economy. CECID develops e-commerce enabling technologies,
participates in important international e-commerce initiatives,
supports e-commerce standardization for Hong Kong and the
Asia Pacific Region, and transfers e-commerce technology
and skills to the community. With projects primarily funded
by the Hong Kong Government's Innovation and Technology
Commission, CECID is an active member of OASIS and the ebXML
Asia Committee. The Center also collaborates with a number
of lead technology users in the Asia-Pacific Region on turning
R&D results into real-life business applications. CECID's
recent contributions to the community include its code donation
of Hermes and ebMail to freebXML (http://www.freebxml.org)
and the production of an in-depth design and management
guide on XML Schemas for the Hong Kong Government.
About OASIS (http://www.oasis-open.org)
OASIS (Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information
Standards) is a not-for-profit, global consortium that drives
the development, convergence and adoption of e-business
standards. Members themselves set the OASIS technical agenda,
using a lightweight, open process expressly designed to
promote industry consensus and unite disparate efforts.
OASIS produces worldwide standards for security, Web services,
XML conformance, business transactions, electronic publishing,
topic maps and interoperability within and between marketplaces.
PR Contacts for Press and Analysts
Dorris Tai (cwtai@cecid.hku.hk)
Business Manager
Center for E-Commerce Infrastructure Development (CECID)
Dept. of Computer Science & Information Systems
The University of Hong Kong
Tel: +852 2859 2818
Fax: +852 2547 4611
URL: http://www.cecid.hku.hk
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