Air Cargo Tech Summit 2023: Lessons learned on the digital journey

The digital transformation of the air cargo industry has shifted over the last decade to emphasize streamlining operations for improved efficiency and visibility. And while implementation has been slow — far slower than in other industries — it is clearly gaining traction, panelists and attendees at Air Cargo Tech Summit 2023 agreed. During last week’s two-day event in Brussels, experts highlighted the latest innovations driving operations to new heights, as well as the challenges holding the industry back. The human element of the supply chain remains crucial, however it is clear that the ongoing automation across the industry promotes efficiency, making end-to-end visibility a reality. From carriers and forwarders to ground handlers and warehouse workers, improved technology elevates daily tasks, reduces the industry’s carbon footprint and creates a more stable line of operations. Saving time and money through automation Dortmund, Germany-based research institute Fraunhofer IML offers one solution to human workforce limitations with its evoBOT, an autonomous mobile robot that shortens turnaround times for carriers. [caption id="attachment_57138279" align="alignright" width="300"] Fraunhofer IML's evoBOT picks up cargo in a demo at Air Cargo Tech Summit 2023. (Photo/Air Cargo Next)[/caption] “We have to be very quick because the longer the aircraft is grounded, the less revenue it generates,” Manuel Wehner , senior project manager in aviation logistics at Fraunhofer IML, said during a panel discussion. With the assistance of the robot, which can operate up to eight hours and has a lifting capacity of 65 kilograms, such slowdowns are significantly reduced, Wehner said. Likewise, digital warehouse automation reduces lengthy paper trails while saving time and money in the process, Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) Head of Operations and Transformation Sebastien Burnier said. Burnier said has seen a shift in the mindset of his colleagues in the last several years. Digitizing data in warehouses creates predictive analytics, and from there, efficiencies are created using these analytics to streamline communication, data collection and visibility. [caption id="attachment_57138214" align="alignright" width="300"] Sebastien Burnier, head of operations and transformation at WFS, gives a presentation at Air Cargo Tech Summit 2023 in Brussels. (Photo/Courtney Blackann)[/caption] One seemingly small, yet notable, improvement is the addition of handheld devices , which WFS uses in its warehouses. The devices quickly perform multiple functions that were formerly manual. “The guys have everything on their mobile,” Burnier said. “They can ticket in; they can have checklists on this mobile. We can have real-time stamping of our conditions. “This is something which seems silly, but a couple of years ago, all the things were done manually — the paper was sent to the office, and three hours after somebody was typing in the computer, and … your patience was just done,” he said. “Now we just click, and we can give to our customer the real-time information.” Data standards and multimodality [caption id="attachment_57138357" align="alignright" width="300"] TAC Index Editor Neil Wilson, left, moderates the Air Cargo Tech Summit 2023 panel on digital records, featuring panelists, from left, Stephane Graber, Ingrid Lee and Gianluca Marcangelo. (Photo/Air Cargo Next)[/caption] As logistics companies adopt new technologies, however, it has become apparent that standardization of data is needed to convince stakeholders the investment is worthwhile. There are some lingering questions about how to accomplish this, Ingrid Lee , head of cargo digital at Cathay Pacific Airways , said. In a move toward standardization, IATA developed ONE Record in 2021, a platform on which “ data is easily and transparently exchanged in a digital ecosystem of air cargo stakeholders, communities and data platforms,” according to IATA’s website. The goal is to bring 100% of its members onboard by 2026, Brendan Sullivan , IATA’s global head of cargo, said at the World Cargo Symposium in April. However, smaller companies may be hesitant to adopt the platform due to its changing model, Lee said. “People are actually skeptical, asking questions,” she said. “‘Oh, is this the final, final stage, so I can actually invest into it and make a change? Or [will] next year a TWO Record come out?’ And then everything’s become invalid.” Prior to the release of ONE Record, IATA had developed Cargo-XML and Cargo-IMP, Lee said. If industry standards keep changing, there is little benefit to smaller companies to invest in the standardization of records. - Ingrid Lee, head of cargo digital, Cathay Pacific Airways To mitigate this industrywide dilemma, stakeholders must come together to digitize systems that are compatible with one another , however long it may take, Lee said. Another key element of standardization is becoming multimodal, Stephane Graber, director general at FIATA, said at the conference. “This problem of uncertainty today is about multimodality and how you cannot only have a standard and a solution in one specific mode of transport,” he said. A solution must be “interoperable, which is absolutely key. When you have a big organization in the sector, they are just thinking, ‘Oh, we will bring a standard and we will impose it to the market.’ That never works.” There are too many players, and the supply chain is too fragmented for a one-size-fits-all approach, Graber said. Thus, technology is the solution rather than an added problem. “I think we need a little bit [of time] to adapt to the digital world and where we are going,” Graber said. Technology supports sustainability While not every question about modernizing air cargo has an immediate answer, technological achievements in the industry begin with a shift in mindset, Chris Bowden , head of global partnerships at Cathay Pacific Airways, said while speaking on a sustainability panel during the event. [caption id="attachment_57138212" align="alignright" width="300"] Air Cargo Next Associate Editor Courtney Blackann, left, moderates the Air Cargo Tech Summit 2023 panel on sustainability, featuring panelists, from left, Chris Bowden, Celine Crahay, Michiel Potjer and Mike Van Berkel. (Photo/Air Cargo Next)[/caption] This shift applies to all operators along the supply chain, he said. Regarding sustainability, which is paramount to the future of aviation, technology plays an increasingly crucial role toward achieving Net Zero by 2050, Bowden said. This comes in the form of autonomous vehicles, data collection software and other technological tools, he added. We must “increase visibility to the customer of what their carbon emission is,” Bowden said. “We have data dashboards that we can talk through with our customers. They can see — by air waybill, by clients, by their own account — what they’re burning on what lane with which customer, hopefully to make that conversation with the shipper just a bit easier.” With this improved visibility and data collection, it is possible to calculate and quantify sustainability targets — and this is a vast improvement from just a few years ago, Bowden said. Instead of focusing on the hurdles ahead, we should instead focus on how much has been accomplished with innovations in technology, he said. Awareness “is growing with the use of drone technology, [and] electrification of engines and power,” Bowden said. “We’ve seen it come from nothing to where it is now with electric cars, drones and” other forms of technology. “You have entrepreneurs coming into the sustainability industry to look at new technology,” he said. “You have people working together towards this grand goal. It affects everybody. It’s one of the most inspiring spaces that I think you can work in.”

Air Cargo Tech Summit 2023: Lessons learned on the digital journey

12 executives to watch for 2024

More former Amazon execs part ways with Flexport

Related Posts

From the Cockpit with K2 Aviation’s Karl Ryan

Production freighter activity highlights May FATs

Widebodies account for more than half of April’s transactions

More former Amazon execs part ways with Flexport

Cargo Facts Free Newsletters

Cargo Facts Connect Podcast

Follow Us

Welcome Back!

Retrieve your password