Denmark's Maersk Line has claimed to be the first boxship company to offer instant confirmation that containers have been booked on to its vessels.
It said the process has now become as easy as buying a plane ticket online.
"Maersk customers can now complete their bookings within seconds compared to previous waiting times of up to two hours," it added.
Eliminating this delay was a top priority, as the previous delay triggered uncertainty and extra workloads in managing supply chains, it said.
"We are now making it as easy for our customers to book a container as booking a flight ticket," added CCO Vincent Clerc.
"Instant booking confirmation makes it faster, easier and simpler for our customers to interact with Maersk. It is a milestone for the entire industry and a concrete example of how we are bringing our strategy to life when we improve the customer experience through seamless digital offerings."
Cargo owners can see sailing options with available vessel space and a list of depots with empty containers to choose from.
And bookings will not be cancelled. Previously, due to a lack of vessel space or equipment availability, around 10% of bookings placed in Maersk's systems were either rejected or confirmed for an alternative sailing.
Instant bookings can also be made via its phone app.
