Rulebook (closed-system eBL)

A rulebook is a contract that every participant in an electronic bill of lading system signs on joining, so that all users are bound to the same rules. Bolero International describes its Rulebook as a multilateral contract under which users accept a common set of rules instead of separate bilateral agreements, and which ensures that the terms of the bill of lading also apply when an eBL is issued. A system that works only among parties who have accepted its rules is often called a closed system. The Explanatory Note to the UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Transferable Records (MLETR, 2017) notes that registry-based systems may require acceptance of system rules before access, and that party agreements are particularly significant in closed systems. The Explanatory Notes to the UK Electronic Trade Documents Act 2023 say existing systems generally have contractual provisions governing a change of medium, and section 4(1)(b) requires such requirements to be met. Names vary by provider. On 17 October 2026 the International Group of P&I Clubs' approved list recorded each system's approved terms, including the Bolero Rulebook, the Portalis Rulebook, WAVE Application and Network Bylaws and ICE Digital Trade's DSUA. Several listed the DCSA Standard Annex for eBL Platform Interoperability, which DCSA says lets users of different platforms transact with each other.