Wednesday, March 9, 2011

E Freight Spreads Throughout Air Cargo Centres

IATA Programme Taken Up By More Airports
Shipping News Feature

KOREA – NETHERLANDS – The paperless alternative which is being so heavily promoted by IATA as a cheaper, more accurate and simpler documentary system for use by air cargo carriers, freight forwarding agents, handling companies, customs agents and anyone else involved in logistics by air has two new supporters.

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and Korea’s Incheon International Airport have today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), in which the two major cargo gateways will cooperate in the promotion of “e-freight” (paperless air cargo transportation) as a means of facilitating business between them.

The MoU requires the two airports to encourage the formulation of agreements for the use of e-freight between local parties to their supply chain. It also provides for the exchange of e-freight knowledge and expertise between the two hubs, and paves the way for research and development into projects that will further stimulate the use of e-freight between, and from, both Schiphol and Incheon.

Like Schiphol, which is one of the hubs of Skyteam Alliance member Air France KLM, Incheon Airport is also a Skyteam hub, being home to Korean Airlines. Both airports management teams were enthusiastic in their support for the system which they see as an essential development in an effort to make the whole air cargo system more efficient for customers.