At the recent EU Cross-Border e-commerce Forum in Liege, Belgium, a panel titled "Standardisation in Air Cargo: Necessity or Constraint" concluded that widespread collaboration is fundamental for both establishing and applying industry-wide standardization within the air cargo sector. Panelists, including Jin Zhao, General Manager of Air China Cargo, and Benny Smets, Chairman of Ninatrans, underscored the importance of a unified approach.
This discussion comes as the air cargo industry continues to grapple with disparate systems and processes, which can hinder efficiency and data exchange. The rapid growth of e-commerce further amplifies the need for more streamlined operations.
For freight forwarders and operations managers, enhanced standardization in air cargo would bring significant benefits. It could lead to more efficient booking and tracking processes, reduced manual data entry, and fewer discrepancies across different carriers and ground handlers. This would ultimately improve supply chain visibility and reliability, potentially lowering operational costs and increasing speed to market. It also facilitates easier integration of new technologies and digital platforms, fostering greater interoperability among various logistics partners.
The forum did not specify immediate next steps or concrete timelines for achieving this collaboration, but the consensus was clear: without a concerted effort from all industry participants, true standardization remains an elusive goal.
