DIGITAL
PROGRESS
Fahrenheit 451
Now, more than ever before, is the time to burn bridges –
and indeed paper, writes the Editor.
Digitalisation.
This is, when one
thinks about it, one
of the crucial elements
that has helped keep the
air cargo industry afloat
during the coronavirus
disruption. If the slow pace
of adoption and reluctance
among stakeholders to jump
in was the talk before, the
pandemic is surely changing
this mindset. Indeed, digital
service providers are reporting
an unprecedented interest in
both traffic and demand.
At the time of writing, the
world can be said to be in a
virtual state of war against
the COVID-19 pandemic.
While the virus is posing
new challenges every day,
the human race is busily engaged in finding solutions and
innovating to fight it. The air cargo industry is no exception.
Airlines, freight forwarders, airports and ground handlers are
all playing their part in this battle. But arguably the most
unintended assistance has come from the digital technology
that enabled the industry to not only adopt social distancing
but also to move air freight more efficiently.
Challenges abound
The air cargo community has been facing several challenges,
including those of reduced capacity coupled to a sudden
demand surge (particularly for medical supplies); an absence
of onsite manpower; sporadically climbing freight rates and,
latterly, growing capacity linked to an actual falling-off in
demand. Meanwhile, the digital solution providers have come
up with new software, redesigned current platforms and onground
collaboration. They have reported increasing demand
and traffic in their platforms, while sales are being completed in
record time. Has, then, the time come for cargo stakeholders to
embrace digital solutions?
IATA is one organisation that has been banging this
particular drum for some time now. Its Henk Mulder, Head of
Digital Cargo, is unequivocal
about this subject.
“The most important
tool that has allowed the air
cargo community to go on
working is, without question,
the full digitalisation of the
workplace. The ability to
telework from one day to the
next, with access to all data
resources and the effective use
of team collaboration tools,
has demonstrated the high
degree of digitalisation that
has already taken place.”
This rather neatly sums up
the situation: the answer has
been under the sector’s nose
all along. He continues:
“In January, we launched a
new service, EPIC (Enhanced
Partner Identification and
Connectivity), to manage
system connectivity between
air cargo stakeholders. We
assumed with COVID-19 this
new service would take a
20 August 2020 www.airlogisticsinternational.com
/www.airlogisticsinternational.com