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As a cargo professional, you’ve no doubt developed your own way of doing things. The trouble is, no item is shipped by just one person or even one company. When everyone in the transport chain – ground handlers, freight forwarders and airlines – works from the same guidelines, damage, delays, refusals and fines are significantly reduced.
The ICHM covers the entire shipping process door-to-door and describes the operating procedures standard in every stage of the transport chain in plain language. Why re-invent the wheel?
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Order the ICHM online
You can get the ICHM in print or digital formats. Users new to cargo shipping like the digital version because it’s much easier to search for the information you need. Digital is also cheaper.
Contact us if you're interested in an enterprise solution for accessing IATA Publications. Contact us here if you'd like to order the 7th edition of the ICHM, effective until the end of 2023.
2024 IATA Cargo Handling Manual (ICHM)
2024 IATA Cargo Handling Manual (ICHM)
What's inside the ICHM?
You’ll find everything you wanted to know about shipping cargo inside the ICHM. And lots of information you didn’t know you needed. Each chapter outlines what happens at each stage of the shipping process.
- Book and plan shipments, pick them up from the shipper
- Receive freight at the forwarder branch and transfer it to the forwarder hub
- Prepare export shipments
- Transfer shipments to and receive shipments from the carrier domain,
- Accept shipments as ready for carriage and prepare for transport
- Send shipments to the flight and distribute information
- Unload and dispatch shipment to warehouse
- Check-in and arrive shipments, transfer shipments to forwarder
- Load truck and produce run sheet, deliver and obtain proof of delivery
Want to see more? Download the full table of contents.
Stay up-to-date
The key changes for the 8th edition of the IATA Cargo Handling Manual (ICHM) 2024 include enhancements to the content related to operational risk assessment, training requirements for cargo operations, and cargo build-up for special loads.
- Reviewed risk assessment content in each step of the Master Operating Plan and introduction of new hazard symbols to reflect the risk and hazard as well as the risk mitigation plans.
- Enhanced content of cargo operation training requirement (such as Training Assessment Plan, Instructor Competencies, and Retention Period of Training Records) to provide more guidance to stakeholders.
- New content under cargo build-up for special loads. Special loads include, but are not limited to, aircraft engines, vehicles, piercing cargo, crated cargo, tall loads, overhang/offsize drums and barrels, reels, and stacked pallets shipments. This new content will provide guidance to air cargo stakeholders to handle special load shipment in a safer manner, taking into account all spreading and lashing requirements.