TradeTrust Readiness Programme

The TradeTrust Readiness Programme is an IMDA-supported route for maritime Digital Trade Platform (DTP)–carrier pairs to integrate the TradeTrust framework and demonstrate live, cross-platform interoperability for electronic Bills of Lading (eBLs). It addresses a coordination problem: a platform may hesitate to integrate without carrier participation, while a carrier may hesitate without confidence that its trading partners' platforms can exchange eBLs across systems (IMDA, TradeTrust Steps Up Efforts; TradeTrust, Readiness Programme).

Who can participate

An application must be submitted by a DTP–carrier pair, with the lead applicant being a Singapore-registered business. The pair must integrate TradeTrust, issue or support legally recognised and transferable eBLs, and comply with relevant legal and technical requirements, including the Model Law on Electronic Transferable Records (MLETR) where applicable. Each DTP and carrier may participate in only one pair for the programme. International partners may participate, but the Singapore-registration condition still applies to the lead applicant (TradeTrust, Readiness Programme; IMDA, TradeTrust Steps Up Efforts).

Funding and completion milestones

The programme offers up to S$80,000 per successful DTP–carrier pair. Funding is milestone-linked rather than an automatic payment for joining. The published milestones are: successful technical and legal TradeTrust integration; completion of at least three live cross-platform eBL transactions; and demonstration of interoperability with another TradeTrust-enabled platform. Applicants therefore need both an integrated solution and live evidence of cross-platform operation before claiming the support (TradeTrust, Readiness Programme; IMDA, TradeTrust Steps Up Efforts).

The funding is for a qualifying pair's implementation and verified completion, not a rebate for prior software purchases or a payment for merely registering interest (TradeTrust, Readiness Programme).

Dates and boundary

IMDA launched the programme on 4 February 2026. The application window ran from 4 February to 30 April 2026, while the programme runs until 31 March 2027. The application window is therefore closed as of the 19 August 2026 verification date, although the programme's implementation period continues. The public programme page describes a joint application, evaluation, Letter of Offer, integration and live trials, completion report and claims audit before disbursement (TradeTrust, Readiness Programme).

TradeTrust is an interoperability framework for trusted digital trade documents; the Readiness Programme is a time-bounded support route for paired industry implementations. It is not a general subsidy for any shipping company, a grant for an individual platform acting alone, a replacement for carrier or platform legal compliance, or proof that all eBLs are automatically valid in every jurisdiction (IMDA, International Trade and Logistics — TradeTrust; IMDA, TradeTrust Steps Up Efforts).