Iata steps up campaign to stem losses to seafreight

THE INTERNATIONAL Air Transport Association is trying to stem the flow of freight from air to sea. “Our sea competitors are gaining market share with faster ships, lower prices and innovative solutions,” said Giovanni Bisignani, Iata’s director general and CEO, at the IATA World Cargo Symposium in Rome earlier this month. In order to regain market share, Iata has identified five key areas of improvement: safety, security, Cargo 2000, e-freight and the environment. “Safety is our top priority. We are the safest mode of transportation, with one accident for every 1.3 million flights,” said Bisignani. To maintain its safety record, Iata plans to have all carriers complete an Iosa (International Operational Safety Audit) by the end of the year. A new “Secure Freight” programme is also being implemented, which includes a strategy to create a global registry of secure supply chain operators, including “known consignor” details. Cargo 2000 is an industry group that was established over a decade ago to simplify processes and implement effective quality standards. It reduced 40 steps in the logistics chain to 19 and agreed common standards and measurments for customer satisfaction.