CHAMP Cargosystems has added a new service that will enable companies transporting e-commerce shipments to comply with the European Union’s latest ICS2 rules.
The Traxon Global eCommerce (TGE) service will address the requirements of cargo pre-load security filings and pre-arrival filings for e-commerce shipments under ICS2.
CHAMP said the latest phase of increased ICS2 requirements demands reporting at the House Air Waybill (HAWB) level, with the “added complexity that each commodity must be reported separately”.
“This poses potential risks for the e-commerce industry if air carriers, freight forwarders, express courier service providers or postal operators do not ensure they have the processes or technology in place to respond to these new requirements,” the air cargo software firm explained.
The service consolidates information from the sender and generates outputs in formats specified by relevant governmental agencies, CHAMP said.
CHAMP chief executive Chris McDermott explained: “CHAMP’s portfolio is built on its open neo platform, enabling quick development, launch and integration with other CHAMP or third-party services.
“TGE is a fantastic tool, that will help air cargo businesses to expand into new markets, capitalise on the opportunity of e-commerce, and avoid costly delays by ensuring regulatory compliance quickly and cost-effectively.”
The company said that the system would be updated as more pre-load and advance filing initiatives are adopted and it can link with other Traxon products and services.
Cathay Cargo Terminal has become the first air cargo terminal in Hong Kong to introduce a business-to-business (B2B) ePayment solution.
The terminal has partnered with global cargo payment platform PayCargo to offer a digital payment method for import cargo collection that is designed to be secure, user-friendly, and efficient. Cathay Cargo Terminal has also become PayCargo’s launch cargo terminal partner in the Hong Kong market.
Cathay Cargo Terminal chief operating officer Mark Watts said: “We are delighted to have selected PayCargo as our ePayment solution, providing more choice and convenience for freight forwarders and their trucking agents. This marks yet another milestone in our digital journey after enabling eAWBs (electronic airwaybills) and introducing eSRF (electronic Shipment Release Forms) at our terminal, reaffirming our commitment to digital leadership.”
According to Cathay Cargo Terminal, freight forwarders using the ePayment solution will be able to settle transactions 24/7 from any location, eliminating the need to queue for cash payments.
The solution also offers enhanced security and expedites the cargo release process.
Cathay Cargo Terminal already enables cashless cargo import payments at its Dongguan intermodal facility in the Chinese Mainland, with payments accepted via Alipay, WeChatPay and UnionPay.
“It is now our ambition to be the first air cargo terminal to go fully cashless in Hong Kong,” said Watts.
Freight forwarders can also set up direct credit facilities with Cathay Cargo Terminal. “Cashless payments complement the eSRF process for import shipment release and make the full benefits of eSRF available to more of the terminal’s esteemed freight forwarder partners,” said Cathay Cargo Terminal.
PayCargo is a freight payment solution for the global logistics industry that has been operating since 2009. It has over 5,000 logistics vendors and over 50,000 registered payers (mostly freight forwarders) in its network.
DHL Express has signed an agreement with German consumer electronics business Medion to use the carrier’s GoGreen Plus emissions monitoring service.
It will allow the company – a subsidiary of technology firm Lenovo – to cut its carbon footprint through the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
GoGreen Plus was launched by DHL Express last year and uses CO2-insetting (reducing carbon output directly within companies’ own supply chains) and SAF to help its customers reduce emissions associated with their freight. It has been made possible in part by three of the largest SAF contracts with BP, Neste and World Energy.
SAF is produced from more sustainable raw materials than conventional jet fuel, including used cooking oil, waste and hydrogen compared with conventional aviation fuels derived from crude oil.
GoGreen Plus is part of DHL’s goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The DHL Group, which includes extensive surface transport operations, says that no less than 90% of its emissions come from its air network, so sustainable solutions are important in order to cut its carbon footprint.
Managing director of DHL Express Germany, Mustafa Tonguç, said that DHL Express Germany and Medion had been working together for more than a decade and that the GoGreen Plus service was another important step towards making international express transportation more sustainable.
Medion chief finance officer and deputy chief executive, Christian Eigen, added: “The GoGreen Plus agreement with DHL is a crucial contribution to Medion’s own Sustainability Strategy, which has been focused on a significant reduction in controllable CO2 emissions for years.”
ORTEC, a global provider of leading end-to-end supply chain solutions developed specifically for the operational needs of manufacturers, retailers, and distributors, introduces a state-of-the-art solution purpose-fit for the operational needs of the manufacturing and finished goods logistics industries. ORTEC’s Manufacturing Solution Suite provides valuable insights and planning tools that help companies optimize their supply chain and reduce costs.
“Manufacturing supply chain professionals know that conditions and demand change constantly, so it’s essential to continuously monitor and reassess,” said Mat Witte SVP, ORTEC Americas. “ORTEC uses data-driven analytics to create supply chain visibility and help solve everyday challenges for staying on target, improving the customer experience, and meeting business goals. Further, ORTEC’s Planner Insights and Prescriptive Planning are unmatched in the industry. Through our partnership and innovation, clients are able to navigate the changing supply chain while meeting fluctuating service demands.”
“For many manufacturers, supply chain and logistics comprise more than 10% of overall costs on average, which has a huge impact on company profits. ORTEC’s Manufacturing solution helps companies manage the complex logistics landscape by using their existing data to make more informed decisions,” said Aaron Geiger, Managing Director of Manufacturing at ORTEC. “With better planning and more accurate forecasting, they see higher efficiencies, improved utilization of labor and resources, and lower supply chain costs.”
The ORTEC Manufacturing Solution Suite offers a state-of-the-art solution for integrated pallet building, routing, loading, planning, and execution when distributing products. The solution combines load, route, and dispatch optimization to maximize vehicle and container utilization, improve collaboration between the manufacturer, carrier(s), drivers, and the consignees, and increase on-time deliveries.
ORTEC’s innovative Manufacturing solution presents a complete end-to-end solution that supports the entire length of the supply chain, following the company’s signature six-step approach that allows companies to Predict, Prepare, Plan, Execute, Monitor, and Improve across their operations. Performance analysis compares planned versus actual results to support continuous improvement and to reduce cost to serve. Future forecasting allows organizations to predict future needs and generate ‘what-if’ scenarios that help them prepare for changes.
“At ORTEC we partner with our wide range of customers in manufacturing to ensure they are consistently meeting their KPIs, including change management and sustainability initiatives. We continue to collaborate with them beyond implementation to develop a strategy that enables them to optimize gains over the long-term,” says Jeff Bailey, CEO, ORTEC Americas.
Cathay Cargo Terminal (CCT) has become the “first” Hong Kong cargo terminal operator to provide end-to-end digitalised import collection.
Forwarders at CCT now have access to Electronic Shipment Release Forms (eSRF) which were created to offer a faster and more efficient service.
“The eSRF functionality speeds up the entire import collection process, providing improved efficiency and enabling freight forwarders to plan their work schedule with more flexibility,” said Cathay Pacific.
“Additionally, eSRFs are more secure than paper/manual identification verification, provide more visibility for customers and eliminate paper Shipment Release Forms (SRF), reducing archiving storage for freight agents and contributing to a more sustainable future.”
Previously, freight forwarders could only obtain SRFs by undergoing authentication with paper-based identification documents and queuing for truck dock and cargo clearances.
Under the new process, an eSRF can be issued through electronic authentication. Airlines can issue the eSRF to freight forwarders or consignees for pre-registration, automatic truck dock allocation, and online queuing for cargo clearance.
With the inspection confirmation being recorded electronically, a cargo release confirmation will be shown on the mobile device.
This new eSRF feature forms an integral part of the Import Air Cargo Collection Digitalization Module of Airport Authority Hong Kong’s (AAHK) HKIA Cargo Data Platform.
Cathay Cargo Terminal is the pioneer cargo terminal partner of the AAHK and co-developed this solution together, in consultation with the Hong Kong Association of Freight Forwarding and Logistics (HAFFA), airlines, cargo agents, truckers, and regulators.
Cathay Cargo Terminal chief operating officer Mark Watts said: “The introduction of eSRF is a real game changer – akin to the introduction of e-tickets in passenger aviation. We are proud to have worked hand-in-hand with the AAHK to make this a reality.
“Our customers are increasingly looking to leverage digitalisation to unlock efficiency and transparency, while also looking to work with common standards and true community solutions that enable them to share data quickly across the supply chains with minimal integration. The HKIA Cargo Data Platform serves as an enabler in driving such transformational change for the industry”.
The HKIA Cargo Data Platform, as developed and managed by AAHK, is an open and neutral community-based digital platform on blockchain that connects air cargo stakeholders together through a network that aims to enable global supply chain digitalisation and innovation as well as global trade facilitation.
Neutral Air Partner has launched a partnership with IATA interest group Cargo iQ to improve data visibility for customers.
The two organisations seek to improve quality, efficiency and reliability in the air cargo sector.
“Because of this new cooperation between Neutral Air Partner and Cargo iQ, we have jointly brought even more air cargo industry stakeholder, regardless of size and volume handled, to work in a true partnership towards improved process and data quality. Enhancing quality, visibility and reliability is one of the key requirements, voiced by the shippers and their associations,” said Lothar Moehle, executive director of Cargo iQ.
Laura Rodríguez, manager implementation for Cargo iQ, added: “At Cargo iQ we see huge potential to provide Neutral Air Partner members with shipment planning visibility throughout the cargo journey. Our standards allow companies to know exactly how and when their shipment in planned to go through each step of the journey, from Freight on Hand (FOH) to Delivery (DLV).”
“We are excited to partner with Cargo iQ, aligning with our shared commitment to elevate standards in the air cargo sector. This collaboration enhances our services, providing essential visibility and efficiency for our members. Together, we set a precedent for future collaborations prioritizing transparency and reliability in air cargo,” commented Christos Spyrou, chief executive of Neutral Air Partner.
Cargo iQ was formed by stakeholders of the air cargo supply chain working together to set standards and improve quality and performance in the sector. With a focus on enhancing end-to-end supply chain transparency, Cargo iQ’s main projects involve the standardization of processes and the implementation of quality benchmarks.
One of Cargo iQ’s main features is its advanced visibility functions, which provides real-time insight into the movement of shipments from its planning stage using a “route map”, which is always shared by the airline and the freight forwarder.
Cargo iQ’s route map enables forwarders to monitor air cargo movement, receive real-time replanning information as well as exception handling alerts.
Neutral Air Partner is a global network of leading air cargo architects and aviation specialists, dedicated to delivering innovative air cargo solutions to the international freight logistics and aviation community.
Virgin Atlantic Cargo has continued to expand its online booking capabilities by placing its capacity on WebCargo.
WebCargo said that its users would now be able to book capacity on the carrier’s flights to 30 destinations in the US, India, China, Nigeria, South Africa, and the Caribbean.
Virgin Atlantic Cargo managing director Phil Wardlaw said that the airline was striving to make air cargo easier for its customers by “offering more ways to book and access our capacity”.
“As customer requirements and digital experiences evolve it’s important for us to work with a platform that has an optimized digital booking process and provides access to the largest number of forwarders with seamless access to our global network,” he said.
The UK-based carrier first placed its capacity on a third-party booking portal last year when it partnered with cargo.one.
For WebCargo, Virgin Atlantic is the second carrier addition in the space of two weeks.
At the end of January, JAL Cargo announced it had added its capacity to the WebCargo platform.
Freightos, WebCargo’s parent company, also revealed its fourth-quarter highlights in January.
The company said that it had recorded 16 consecutive months of record transactions on its booking platform; that the number of transactions completed in the fourth quarter had increased 36% year on year and that the number of carriers selling on the platform had reached 45 from 35 last year.
Maersk has launched a “fully digital solution” for airfreight that it said offers customers real time availability, pricing and booking.
The digital solution means that Maersk’s customers can now book air cargo shipments for any of 70,000 airport pairings across more than 90 countries around the world.
“The new online solution available on Maersk.com provides customers with an option to book their air cargo requirements through a simple online tool that will provide customers with instant prices for as many as 70,000 connections between virtually all relevant airports globally,” said Maersk.
“In today’s age, where volatility and uncertainty have become perpetual potential threats to the global supply chains, our customers are looking for agility and resilience that allows them to make quick decisions around the movement of their cargo across borders. By booking with us on Maersk.com, our customers get instant prices, and the transparency allows them to make informed decisions,” said Darryl Judd, regional head of airfreight for Maersk in the Indian Subcontinent, Middle East and Africa.
The new service also enables customers to add Maersk’s customs services for easier customs clearance and real time tracking.
Maersk recently said it would now consider making an offer for top-4 airfreight forwarder DB Schenker after previously dismissing the idea.
Flydubai has enhanced its onboard experience with the introduction of PressReader.
PressReader allows passengers can enjoy complimentary access to a wide selection of PressReader’s digital magazines through the carrier’s inflight entertainment system on board 70% of flydubai’s fleet. Over the next few months, the carrier will roll out the service on additional aircraft in its fleet.
This comes as part of flydubai’s growing partnership with PressReader where passengers visiting the flydubai Business Lounge at Dubai International (DXB) can enjoy complimentary access to PressReader’s wide range of content. By simply connecting to the Business Class Lounge WiFi network and downloading the PressReader app, passengers are able to search for and download their favourite publications before their flight.
With the carrier further enhancing its onboard experience, passengers travelling with flydubai in Business Class and Economy Class can now browse the latest business, news, travel and lifestyle digital content directly from their seats through the carrier’s inflight entertainment system. This service is available to flydubai passengers on a complimentary basis.
Daniel Kerrison, senior vice president of Inflight Operations at flydubai, said: “We are excited to expand our partnership with PressReader. Over the years, we have invested in new technologies as part of our commitment to improving customer experience and offering the right product at the right time. By introducing PressReader as a paperless alternative to print publications onboard, we provide our passengers with complimentary access to a wide range of popular international titles without contributing to extra fuel consumption.”
flydubai’s latest aircraft features the RAVE inflight entertainment system, provided by Safran Passenger Innovations (SPI). The exceptional seatback system has a full HD, 11.6-inch screen, with a wide selection of movies, TV shows, music and games, available for passengers in Economy Class if they choose to buy an entertainment package and complimentary for passengers in Business Class. The carrier has plans to introduce its inflight entertainment system on additional aircraft in its existing fleet.
“The expansion of our partnership with flydubai further strengthens our inflight presence,” said Carlos Martinez, director of partnerships at PressReader. “By offering a wide range of engaging publications through the flydubai IFE system, we are providing passengers with quality reading content during their flight, even in an offline environment.”
Qatar Airways Privilege Club has unveiled Privilege Club Collection platform – an innovative platform that will elevate members’ lifestyles by giving them access to events and experiences.
The platform is set to transform the way members spend their Avios by offering them thrilling opportunities to bid from a selection of curated packages.
Privilege Club Collection platform will allow members to bid on exclusive experiences, including access to VIP tickets at The O2 arena for concerts featuring legendary artists such as Depeche Mode, John Mayer, Liam Gallagher and The Jonas Brothers; as well as VIP tickets to FC Internazionale Milano games, VIP and pitch side tickets to Paris Saint-Germain matches, signed jerseys and more.
Qatar Airways Privilege Club Spokesperson said: “Our vision for Privilege Club is to build a loyalty proposition which offers value and inspires our members. In the last year, Privilege Club has seen the adoption of Avios, and the establishment of global partnerships with leading banks and hotels. The latest evolution of our member-centric approach is the Privilege Club Collection, which not only boosts Avios’ spending opportunities, but also offers exceptional once-in-a-lifetime experiences.”
Members can also amplify their balance with the option to buy Avios, which is conveniently available on the platform. Avios can be further collected when flying with Qatar Airways, oneworld and other partner airlines, shopping and dining at Qatar Duty Free or booking holiday packages with Qatar Airways Holidays.
They can additionally earn Avios when using their co-branded payment cards or when linking payment cards to their Privilege Club account to spend when shopping in-store and online with our partners in Qatar. Qatar Airways Privilege Club has a wide range of partners across the banking and financial sectors, hotels, car rentals, and retail and lifestyle segments.
Technology has made the world smaller and faster.Real time communication with people from all over the world at different time zones through phones and gadgets
