Iata to focus on e-airwaybills in 2012

The International Air Transport Association has set an aggressive target for e-airwaybills this year as it pushes forward in its goal for 100% e-freight by 2015. “E-freight is not the cargo version of e-ticketing,” senior vice president industry distribution and financial services, Aleksander Popovich, told FTW in Johannesburg last week. “It’s a much bigger challenge because it involves collaboration of the entire supply chain – demanding a common energy between shipper, forwarder, and carrier.” In the past three years Iata has been hard at work getting as many countries as possible to embrace the e-freight standard. So far it’s been adopted by 45 countries representing 75-80% of the world’s freight. “The focus now is on volumes and we set a target in 2011 of 10% e-freight on those routes where the e-freight standard exists.” And according to Popovich, they’re close to it. “Our focus for 2012 is the master airwaybill which is a significant piece of paper moving between the forwarder and the airline. We set a target of achieving 15% e-airwaybills this year, which is an aggressive push. Currently the figure stands at around 5% – but Iata will be leading this charge.” It’s simply a document between the forwarder and the carrier, says Popovich, and achieving the goal is largely about the airline and forwarder agreeing to take it up. Leadership, he says, is the key. “Cathay Pacific achieved 100% e-airwaybills outbound from Hong Kong within a few months because the head of cargo took the lead. It’s entirely in the hands of the airline and the forwarder.”