At its recent Annual General Meeting, Cargo iQ, the IATA interest group that developed a Master Operating Plan (MOP) describing the standard end-to-end process of transporting air cargo, to ensure transparency and quality, announced that it aims to increase its reach and coverage this year.
Henrik Ambak, Chair of Cargo iQ and Senior Vice President, Cargo Operations Worldwide, Emirates SkyCargo illustrated: “The last year has proven that the air cargo industry can rise to the
occasion, now we should learn from what we have just been through and move from ambition to lived reality. The pandemic did teach us a lesson in agility, and we should embrace a ‘create and they
will follow’ mentality. The next year will see us further push for 100% reporting, ensure we are the true quality management system that the industry uses to facilitate its commercial customer
promise, and we must broaden and grow our membership, including with SMEs.”
New trucking milestones
72 of Cargo iQ’s over 80 members which number major airlines, freight forwarders, ground-handling agents, trucking companies and IT solution providers across the globe, attend the AGM. It was the
second AGM to be held virtually, given the pandemic restrictions. On the agenda, was the move to test new trucking milestones in order to improve and measure 100% shipment visibility along the
air cargo Route Map, as laid down in the MOP. These should help to avoid “unreportable” shipments along the MOP.
More focus on Small and Medium Enterprises (SME)
The Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Solution has been developed for forwarders working with member airlines on a small-scale or regional basis. They benefit from a Route Map and status updates
on their shipments handled according to the MOP. Currently, three Cargo iQ users already deploy the SME Solution developed by third party IT provider Cargo Start. Together with Cargo iQ use
cases, it developed reporting definitions for the Airport-to-Airport section of the MOP.
“Enabling independent freight forwarders to work with air cargo carriers is a benefit for the overall air cargo industry,” said Gianni Mauri, Director Business Processes Air Cargo, Cargo
Start. “Forwarders that have started using the SME solution have chosen to do so to improve visibility and to streamline internal processes when it comes to air cargo shipment planning and
quality measurements.”
Taking care of projects
Care Mapping and Product Parameter Projects will be ongoing projects in 2021, respectively developing tools and standards for planning and control, as well as for process, and evaluation of the
conditions under which shipments move. Commencing with pharmaceuticals, it will move on to other Special Care services, such as valuables, live animals, and perishables, once the original
methodology has been finalized and accepted.
Time-definite and under control
One of the Cargo iQ projects, the Service Parameters Project, concerns itself with definitions for time-specific products, aimed at enabling members to better plan and control their shipments in
line with time-definite promise to customers. “We must ensure that we are keeping up with rapid developments in the industry so that our members have access to a single version of the truth
and complete data that they can use to improve the quality of their services,” said Kerstin Strauss, Vice Chair of Cargo iQ and Vice President, Air Logistics Operations, Global Air Logistics
at Kuehne + Nagel Management AG. “Making that happen is the responsibility of every member and we are confident that by working together we can achieve our plans for the next two
years.”
Ready for 2021
Cargo iQ Executive Director Ariaen Zimmerman applauded the flexibility of the group which had forged ahead with its work despite the limitations brough about by the pandemic. Good progress had
been made on its ongoing projects. “We launched more training than ever before, and the videos of those sessions are now online for members to learn from as a resource,” he said. “We
are pushing ahead with changes to the Audit and Reporting to improve the quality of the data we provide. After the unique and challenging year that we have had, we are ready for 2021.”
Over the next few weeks, members will be invited to cast their votes regarding new Board Appointments and declare their preferences for changes to the audit.
Brigitte Gledhill
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