Rita Conte led a documentation team in making software changes at a very turbulent time, specifically during the attacks of 9/11, when carriers around the world were faced with adopting new reporting requirements on all cargo entering and leaving foreign and domestic ports. She met this challenge through understanding what was required, in terms of relevant data on the ocean of bill of lading forms, acting as a subject specialist for the IT Vancouver team and their software provider, assuring technology systems did not compromise the legal information and integrity of the bill of lading. Responsible and successfully executing on all homeland and Canadian Border Security reporting internet interface requirement, she embraced and took the tasks to the next level, by acting as a liaison between the company legal department in Bergen, Norway, and regulators including law makers, in the US Department of Transportation, Homeland Security and the US Coast Guard. This included Canadian Transportation departments and Canadian Border Security Agencies and the Canadian Coast Guard offices. Her ability to understand the legal, regulatory framework of trade documentation pertaining specifically to the transport bill of lading and its importance as a commercial contract of freight and transfer of goods allowed her to execute a new system successfully.
Rita's expertise resulted in the global fleet to operate without delay, vessel arrest, or penalties for non-compliance, while assuring a new documentation export model of transparency, procedural clarity and accuracy, met the needs of clients and authorities. Today, Rita continues to meet the needs of regulators, policy makers, insurance carriers, cargo owners, legal professionals, attorneys, shippers and consumers, in providing expertise in dealing with issues relating to trade documentation.
Today, Rita is the person who can apply previous decision-making skills and expertise to today's changes in the electronic transmission of bills of lading successfully, while providing valuable experience and advise on how to manage this complex road.
