Digital Pulse: Streamlining the industry with digitalization, automation

Congestion, customer service and underinsurance are just a few of the issues the air cargo industry is turning to technology to address. Air France KLM Martinair Cargo in May added services to its myCargo e-booking platform; Athens International Airport (AIA) announced plans to use Nallian ’s truck scheduling application; digital cargo insurance company Breeze , logistics software provider Ceedbox and freight forwarder Cardinal Global Logistics collaborated on cargo insurance automation; Ostend-Bruges International Airport (OST) is using Nallian’s Inspection Management app; PSA BDP launched Risk Monitor to provide risk forecasts and information; Silk Way West Airlines is switching to cargo.one ’s e-booking platform; and Virgin Atlantic Cargo expanded its digital platform. E-booking with agility Air France KLM Martinair Cargo has introduced digital services and allocation functionalities on its myCargo platform, which had been developed over six years with an in-house team of developers, technical product and process experts, and expert users. The allocation functionalities enable customers to view, book and manage allocations via the platform, providing them with greater control and flexibility. “Concretely a forwarder can view and quickly — also automatically, if they choose — make a booking within an existing allocation,” Bernard Geersing , vice president of distribution and customer service at Air France KLM Martinair Cargo, told Air Cargo Next . “In the months to come, several additional functionalities will come, such as being able to automatically make bookings in allotments for an entire season. “With these functionalities, we make the booking process for the customer much more transparent, efficient, flexible, 24/7 available and thereby give the customer more choice and control,” he added. Air France KLM Martinair Cargo saw 73% of its bookings made via digital channels in April, from 65% in April 2022. “Our digital strategy is centered around putting customer experience central,” Geersing said. “This focus and continued ability to deliver new or improved services makes the success of myCargo.” Managing trucks carrying airfreight [caption id="attachment_57136413" align="alignright" width="300"] Athens International Airport’s Alexios Sioris and Nallian’s Jean Verheyen shake hands. (Photo: Annelies Vanherteryck/Nallian)[/caption] AIA plans to implement Nallian ’s Cargo Cloud. The application to be used initially is Truck Visit Management, which coordinates freight pick-ups and drop-offs among cargo handlers, freight forwarders and trucking companies. The application is to launch in July. About 7,000 tonnes of cargo pass through AIA each month. “Due to the layout of the landside cargo area, congestion occurs,” Lina Palli , AIA senior account supervisor of cargo development, told Air Cargo Next . Better scheduling for trucks could ease that. “Top benefits include simplicity, adaptability and expandability,” Palli said. The solution also consists of a digital front desk and slot booking system, which enables cargo stakeholders to make landside dock capacity available for slot booking and maximize usage while facilitating resource planning and eliminating wait times at the gates. “Our Cargo Cloud, which is used by airports big and small in Europe, Asia and the U.S., allows a step-by-step digitalization approach,” Nallian Chief Executive Jean Verheyen said in a release. Automating insurance quotes Breeze, Ceedbox and Cardinal Global Logistics are collaborating to develop a solution that delivers seamless and instant all-risk cargo insurance. Cardinal now uses Ceedbox’s technology and Breeze’s application programming interfaces to automate and optimize quote generation, policy binding and claims processing, reducing the time and effort needed to provide accurate cargo insurance coverage. “In a fast-paced world, freight forwarders need to be agile and responsive to meet their customers’ expectations, which is why we are developing cargo insurance solutions for them,” Breeze Chief Executive and founder Eyal Goldberg said in a release. “An estimated 70% of global trade is either un- or under-insured.” Automation has minimized manual input and human error, leading to a significant reduction in discrepancies and insurance claim issues, the company said. App preserves perishables [caption id="attachment_57136414" align="alignright" width="300"] Ostend-Bruges International Airport now uses Nallian’s Inspection Management app on its community system. (Photo/OST)[/caption] OST has activated the Inspection Management app on its community system, the OST Cargo Cloud powered by Nallian. The app gives freight forwarders, inspection point operators and local food safety authorities a uniform, digital way to coordinate and execute inspection of perishables. “The Inspection Management app helps us to further increase the quality and speed of our cargo handling, which are important differentiators for our airport,” OST Chief Executive Eric Dumas said in a release. Streamlining inspection of perishables, which is a time-sensitive process, prevents spoilage and makes shipping easier and more efficient. “This digital, uniform approach speeds up the inspection process, as actions can be well coordinated, and it provides visibility and transparency as all information is available in the application,” Joke Aerts , Nallian director of marketing, told Air Cargo Next . “It is also integrated with the European system TRACES, which avoids duplicate data entry.” TRACES is the European Commission ’s online platform for sanitary and phytosanitary certification required for importation of animals, animal products, food and plants into the European Union. Proactive risk monitoring PSA BDP , a provider of globally integrated and port-centric supply chain, transportation and logistics solutions, has announced the launch of Risk Monitor, a digital product designed to provide shippers and consignees with proactive risk monitoring and insight. Risk Monitor is an add-on feature to Smart Navigator, a digital platform that provides real-time supply chain visibility to customers through data analysis. Using proprietary technology developed by PSA BDP, Risk Monitor empowers customers to establish, evaluate and view more than 50 common supply chain disruptions — both naturally occurring, such as inclement weather and earthquakes, and manmade risks, such as strikes and geo-political tensions — before they occur, allowing for proactive planning and mitigation. “Through our conversations with customers, we know that they are seeking more opportunities for better control and enhanced visibility in their supply chains,” PSA BDP Chief Executive of Products Ghim Siew Ho said in a release. E-booking platform change [caption id="attachment_57136415" align="alignleft" width="300"] A Silk Way West Airlines plane soars through the air. (Photo/Silk Way West Airlines)[/caption] Silk Way West Airlines announced it will implement cargo.one ’s e-booking solution in the fall. Silk Way West previously offered online booking through Freightos via Webcargo. “The first benefit [of switching to cargo.one] will be gaining access to the freight forwarding community currently within the cargo.one platform,” Silk Way West President and Chief Executive Wolfgang Meier told Air Cargo Next . “The second is the footprint reach, which mirrors our network with focus in Europe, Americas, Asia, Middle East and Indian subcontinent. Where our online booking portal partners will benefit will be our extensive coverage and strength within customs information systems.” Carrier expands digitally Virgin Atlantic Cargo has launched an expansion of its digital platform that enables customers in real time to quote, book, manage and track cargo shipments online. The platform, myVS, also allows customers to compare flight schedules. “We are proud to introduce our own online booking capability, myVS, as we continue our digital transformation journey,” Maria Sanchez-Grant , head of distribution at Virgin Atlantic Cargo, said in a release. “The logistics space is evolving quickly around how our customers want to interact, which is why it is important to us to provide our customers with more options so they can move cargo their way.” Join Air Cargo Next for the upcoming webinar , “What’s new in digital cargo systems,” on Tuesday, June 13, at 11 a.m. ET. F or more information on the webinar and to register , click here.

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