SAA offers on-line access to network of major airlines

Collaboration enables e-bookings KEVIN MAYHEW SAA CARGO has entered into a partnership with Global Freight Exchange (GF-X) – an on-line freight reservation system – harnessing technological capacity to improve service. The partnership links SAA Cargo to a network of the major airlines and freight forwarders in South Asia, Japan, the Middle East, Europe and North America. GF-X provides connectivity to these players on line, offering access to available freight space within the region. According to SAA Cargo IT manager, Fanie Schoeman, this collaboration allows freight forwarders to make online bookings. The system manages flight schedules, allotments, free space and market rates provided by the various partner airlines. On-line payments are the current challenge REAL-TIME communication technology is imperative for the safe and efficient movement of cargo around the world, says Jan van Dooren, eBusiness executive at Safmarine. “International security requirements for the movement of cargo globally are placing increased pressure on shippers to promptly communicate details of their consignments prior to departure of vessels. A delay caused by inadequate documentation or a problem in the forwarding process can have a profound impact on the supply chain,” he says. “There are constant challenges to be met in facilitating global trade through technology,” he says. Chief among these is devising a technological solution for online payments. The successful solution – when launched – must consider bills of lading, letters of credit and a myriad intricate details exchanged with several parties, timelines, national borders and monetary regulations. The logistics of moving cargo has become increasingly complex over the past few years. “Safmarine has exercised incredible ingenuity in encouraging the move to online self-reliance by developing a client interface that is straightforward to use. “If our clients are to benefit from the technology we put at their disposal, the onus is on us to remove the complexity from their online experience. Our strategy has been to enable our clients to personalise the way they use our facilities so they feel comfortable doing business with us. “We have found that as our number of online users steadily increases, so does their confidence in researching information on schedules, rates and the status of their shipments.” According to Van Dooren the volume of cargo booked online has doubled during the past year. Customers in 100 countries interact online with Safmarine in eight languages.