Digitization

TECHNOLOGICAL PARTNERS

The exchange of electronic instead of paper documents between parties in air cargo supply chain may include a number of technological approaches depending on the individual stakeholders. The e-freight project considered the removal of documents across the supply chain that simplify the movement of freight and are supported by an agreed international electronic messaging standard. The documents generated in the transportation of air cargo are categorized into three main categories: customs documents, commercial documents and transport documents.

• Commercial documents: Invoice, Packing list, House Air Waybill, Certificate of Origin, Shippers Dangerous Goods Declaration;

• Customs documents: Export and import cargo declaration, customs release export and import;

• Transportation documents: House Manifest, Master Air Waybill, Flight Manifest, Consignment Security Declaration.

The e-freight benefits are based on the following criteria (IATA, 2013):

• Cost savings: the decrease in document processing and document transportation costs.

• Speed: ability to send shipment documentation before the cargo came to destination

• Quality and reliability: e-freight allows one time electronic data entry at point of origin reduces delays to shipment due to inaccurate or inconsistent data entry.

• Visibility: electronic documentation allows for online track and trace functionality

• Simplicity: as all supply chain stakeholders follow the same e-freight process and messaging standards the air cargo process will be globally uniform and simpler to execute

• Regulatory advantage: the existence of an e-freight process already in use will encourage countries to build new e-customs requirements around these standards

• Environmental: e-freight will eliminate more than 7.800 tons of paper documents.