Airfreight sees innovation for data exchange

As airfreight requirements increase, the industry needs to accelerate its digitisation efforts and provide a fully digitised transport chain. Hence IATA develops data-sharing standards called ONE Record, which aim to create uniform systems in the airfreight industry. At the recent event of the Aircargo Club Germany (ACD) in Frankfurt, the members gained insights into the latest developments of ONE Record, which is due to enter its test phase in early 2019.

ONE Record is an integrated digital information chain for the whole logistics and transport sector. In this system, data can be provided easily and transparently to all parties involved in air cargo, communities and platforms. ONE Record aims to move data sharing from a peer-to-peer messaging model to a data-sharing model to significantly improve the quality and availability of shipment data. This is to ensure that, ideally, all parties in the transport chain can access the same data at source at any time and from any location.

“ONE Record uses the existing possibilities of the Internet and guarantees fast and uncomplicated access to the data via an URL system. Beyond the technical aspects, this approach changes the way handle air cargo data. Instead of focusing on transferring data from one company to another, the focus will shift to what we can do with that data,” says Henk Mulder, Head of Digital Cargo, IATA.

To benefit from the features of ONE Record, the implementation of the E-Freight program is a prerequisite. That is, the paper documents used in the air freight industry must be replaced by standardised electronic messages and regulated data exchange in order to consistently establish digital freight chains.

In many places, however, paper documents are still standard. Digital freight papers, so-called Electronic Air Waybills (e-AWB), can often only be used on one segment of the transport chain. But improvement is in sight. Following the announcement of IATA, the electronic bill of lading will largely replace the paper air waybill from 1st January, 2019.

www.aircargoclub.de; www.iata.org