Fact Sheet: IATA e-freight

Definition:

  • IATA e-freight is an industry-wide programme that aims to reduce the use of paper documents in the airfreight supply chain by moving to a simpler, paper free, electronic environment. It involves among others:  airlines, shippers, freight forwarders, ground handling agents, and customs authorities.

Target:

  • 14 e-freight live locations by end 2008.
  • Full industry implementation by end 2010, where feasible.

Benefits

  • Cost savings
  • Speed
  • Quality and Reliability
  • Visibility
  • Simplicity

Status:

  • The project is aligned with WCO’s and UN’s global e-customs initiatives 
  • IATA e-freight business process, standards, and documents developed
  • 14 live IATA e-freight locations: Australia, Canada, Dubai, Germany, Hong Kong, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden, UK and USA 
  • Additional locations that have launched IATA e-freight implementation are Denmark, Dubai, France, Luxembourg, Norway, Spain and Switzerland
  • IATA has launched a Message Improvement Programme, to improve data quality and penetration of electronic messages 
  • A commercial vendor community has been established to support the IATA e-freight vision, pilots, and e-messaging quality measurement. 
  • 10,000 IATA e-freight shipments since project launch on 40 connecting trade lanes between 14 live airports

Savings:

  • US$1.2 billion per year when fully implemented

Quick Facts:

  • An average shipment generates more than 30 paper documents at a cost of US$30
  • 13 documents are in scope which amount for 52% of the paper document volume across the supply chain
  • Paper used in processing shipments every year could fill 39 747-400 or 81 A-300F4-600R freighters 
  • 20 years ago it took 6.5 days on average to send a shipment internationally, today it still takes 6.0 days

 

Updated: November 2008