e-AWB on top of the StB Agenda

Within the target announcements for 2012, the IATA Board of Governors have introduced a new mandate to achieve their goal of becoming 100% e-freight in 2015 by achieving 15% of electronic air waybill (e-AWB) global penetration. 

 

 

As e-AWB is one of the priorities for 2012, please see below a review of the principles:

The problem: The Air Waybill (AWB) is an air cargo document that constitutes the contract of carriage between the “shipper” and the “carrier”. It is still being produced as a paper document. 

The solution: The new e-AWB removes the use of a paper Air Waybill, significantly simplifying the air freight supply chain process. With the e-AWB there is no longer a need to print, handle or archive paper.

• Benefits: This document reduces the processing costs, provides greater accuracy of data, reduces cargo handling delays due to missing or illegible paper, provides with real-time access to AWB information for all staff from all stations and improves customer service.
  
  
• Challenges: The non-acceptance of e-AWB by local authorities, the signature of bi-lateral electronic data interchange (EDI) agreements with each partner as a prerequisite,  the poor data quality that prevents the removal of paper documents and having a favorable legal environment (MC99 in force)*.
  
  
• Program Approach: IATA, in close partnership with the whole air cargo industry through Global Air Cargo Advisory Group (GACAG) will push for e-AWB usage by engaging with airlines and the freight forwarding community at global, regional, local, and individual levels. The target in this category is to reach 15% e-AWB penetration globally, where feasible.
  
  
• Training: IATA has designed a course for the staff airlines and freight forwarders intending to adopt e-AWB. For more information on the course please click here.

To learn more please visit the e-AWB page. 

*MC99 – Montreal Convention 1999