Pictured: The Alexa-capable Echo. CHAMP Cargosystems is teaching Amazon’s Alexa a few lessons about air cargo.

With the release of a new “Cargo Trace skill” that can be taught to Amazon’s interactive app, Alexa, Luxembourg-based CHAMP Cargosystems is adding voice-controlled track-and-trace capabilities to its Traxon air cargo shipment tracking platform.

Stakeholders in the air cargo supply chain will be able to track the status of air cargo shipments moving on dozens of airlines simply by dictating the eleven-digit waybill numbers to an Alexa-equipped device.

CHAMP Cargosystems CEO, Arnaud Lambert said of the Alexa skill on social media, “Why do we restrict ourselves to keys, mouse and finger swipes? Lets’s approach air cargo efficiency from a different angle: voice.” He added, “This is only the start of the new User Experience program.”

Separately, at this year’s World Cargo Symposium in Abu Dhabi, Wojciech Soltysiak, the chief technology and innovation officer at CHAMP Cargosystems used Alexa to look up air cargo quotes. Within seconds of his request, Alexa had multiple possible cargo flights available.

Those interested in learning more about CHAMP Cargosystems are invited to join us at this year’s Cargo Facts Asia in Shanghai, where Wojciech Soltysiak will join a panel on “Cargo IT and the Culture of Innovation.” For more information, or to register, visit www.cargofactsasia.com