The International Air Transport Association announced that nine member airlines took the lead in the Nordic market to implement the e-air waybill. SAS Cargo, Finnair Cargo, Lufthansa Cargo, Air France/KLM, Korean Air, Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways and Emirates are the airlines leading the e-AWB project.
The Nordic and Baltic countries began piloting it in 2009, and implementation is now moving ahead. It is a global project involving the World Customs Organization, ground handlers, freight forwarders and airlines. The implementation is performed locally in each country, and the nine airlines have agreed to a single process for the forwarders to deliver freight to the cargo terminals and ground handlers.
This new single process will decrease the handling and delivery time for airfreight. The AWB is one of potentially 30 documents that accompany each air shipment, enough to fill 80 Boeing 747 freighters per year. IATA said removing the paper from the air cargo process will improve efficiency and have a positive effect on the environment.
"Congratulations to the Nordic and Baltic countries, the airlines, forwarders and ground handlers involved, for implementing the e-AWB across the region," Des Vertannes, IATA"™s global head of cargo, said. "This is a fantastic example of cross-border cooperation and will be of immense benefit to businesses and the economy.
This clearly demonstrates that where there is a will, there is a way. I am confident that this will motivate other nations and regions as they look to accelerate the adoption of the e-AWB."
