From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

IATA e-freight is a project that aims to take the paper out of the air cargo supply chain, much like the e-ticket project removed paper from passenger travel. The project is part of the IATA Simplifying the Business program.

According to IATA, on average 30 documents accompany every air freight shipment - enough to fill 80 Boeing 747s every year[1]. By replacing 13 paper documents with electronic messaging, IATA says it will cut in half the number of paper documents needed to accompany airfreight shipments.

IATA estimates US$4.9 billion in annual savings for the industry as a result moving to electronic messages - coming from reduced shipment times and more accurate data due to the electronic exchange of information.

The IATA e-freight live markets

• North America: Canada and USA
• Europe: UK, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, Germany, Spain, Iceland
• Africa: Mauritius
• Middle-East: Dubai
• North Asia: Hong Kong
• Asia Pacific: Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Chinese Taipei

IATA is working closely with the cargo supply chain stakeholders (airlines, freight forwarders, ground handling agents, customs brokers, shippers) and the customs (World Customs Organisations, national and local customs authorities) to expand the IATA e-freight route network.

• By end of 2010, IATA targets 44 live markets accounting for more than 80% of the cargo volume.

External links

• IATA e-freight homepage