Enigio CEO Petter Nylander on the Future of Digital Trade
An exclusive interview — 10 key insights on trust, interoperability and scaling digital trade
In partnership with Enigio
Global trade is becoming more digital.
But replacing paper is not simply a technology challenge.
Original documents must be trusted across carriers, freight forwarders, banks, shippers and regulators.
The harder question is whether they can move securely across different systems and organisations.
In this context, Enigio CEO Petter Nylander spoke with Maritime Analytica about what is still holding digital trade back.
He also explains what will separate the companies that lead the next phase from those that fall behind.
🔟 Key Insights from the Conversation
1️⃣ Paper remains because it is trusted—not because it is efficient
2️⃣ Technology is no longer the main barrier
3️⃣ Cargo often moves faster than paperwork
4️⃣ eBLs are the proving ground for digital trade
5️⃣ Digital trade cannot scale if everyone must join the same platform
6️⃣ Open networks let trade partners work across different systems
7️⃣ A digital original is not a standard PDF
8️⃣ Documents must work for both people and systems
9️⃣ Digital adoption can start with one process
🔟 The leaders will treat digital trade as a business advantage
Full Interview
1. Why is global trade still so dependent on paper?
Trade runs across countries, legal systems, banks, carriers and regulators. Paper became the common language everyone trusted, so many processes were built around it. The challenge today isn’t proving paper is inefficient—we all know it is—it’s replacing decades of established practice with something everyone can trust just as much.
2. Is the biggest barrier technology, or getting every party to trust and accept digital documents?
Technology is no longer the main obstacle. The harder challenge is creating trust, legal certainty and acceptance across entire trade ecosystems. Digital trade succeeds when every participant can rely on a document being recognised as the original, regardless of which system they use.
3. Where does paper create the most operational pain for carriers and freight forwarders?
The pain shows up wherever timing matters. Physical documents introduce delays, courier costs, working capital constraints, manual handling and the constant risk of documents being lost or arriving too late. When cargo moves faster than paperwork, operations slow down.
4. Why have eBLs become such an important test for wider digital trade adoption?
The bill of lading sits at the heart of global trade. If the industry can successfully digitise one of the most important transferable documents, it proves that other trade documents can follow. In many ways, eBLs are the proving ground for digital trade as a whole.
5. Why will digital trade struggle to scale if every party must join the same platform?
Because trade is a network, not a club. If every transaction requires all participants to be on the same platform, adoption becomes slow and fragmented. Real scale comes when businesses can exchange digital originals freely, regardless of which technology provider they choose.
6. In simple terms, what does an “open network for digital trade” change?
It changes the conversation from “Which platform are you on?” to “Let’s do business.” An open network allows parties to exchange trusted digital originals across organisational and technical boundaries, removing friction instead of creating new silos.
7. What makes a true digital original different from a standard PDF?
A PDF is simply a copy of information. A true digital original is the original document itself, with built-in proof of authenticity, integrity and ownership. It can be verified independently and trusted in a way that an ordinary file cannot.
8. Why should a digital trade document be readable by both people and computer systems?
Because trade still depends on both. People need clarity and confidence when reviewing documents, while systems need structured data to automate workflows. When a document serves both, businesses reduce manual work and unlock real efficiency.
9. What is the simplest first step a carrier or freight forwarder can take to start using digital originals without changing all its existing systems?
Start with a single document type and a single process. The goal is not a large-scale transformation on day one; it’s proving value quickly. The best digital solutions fit around existing workflows, allowing companies to start small and expand at their own pace.
10. Looking ahead, what will separate the companies that lead digital trade from those that fall behind?
The leaders will focus on connectivity, interoperability and speed of execution. They’ll treat digital trade as a business advantage rather than a technology project. Those that remove friction from how they exchange information and value will be the ones shaping the future of trade.
Trade doesn’t need more platforms. It needs fewer obstacles. The winners will be the organisations that make trusted digital exchange as easy as sending an email—and as reliable as the original document it replaces.
🧭 Maritime Analytica Insight
Digital trade is entering a new phase.
The challenge is no longer digitising documents. It is enabling trusted digital originals to move seamlessly across carriers, freight forwarders, banks and shippers—without creating new silos.
As adoption accelerates, competitive advantage will increasingly come from interoperability, legal certainty and practical execution.
Interested in exploring how digital originals work in practice?
Learn more about Enigio’s solutions for electronic bills of lading, guarantees, certificates and other digital trade documents.
👉 Explore Enigio’s digital original solution
Questions about digital originals? Reply to this article and we’ll connect you with the Enigio team.