Cargo Pulse

In recent years, modern warehouse technologies have progressed substantially, altering how warehouses function and enhancing overall efficiency, accuracy, and production.

In the complex world of air cargo operations, the cargo terminal stands as the nucleus, serving as the first or last point of the entire process. It is not an exaggeration to say that a strong and efficient cargo terminal is the backbone of the air cargo industry.

At Brussels Airport, we interpret the progress within the Brucargo logistics ecosystem as exceptionally positive and dynamic. Brucargo’s logistics environment has been adapting to worldwide trends, for instance, the swift surge of business-to-business (b2b) e-commerce and the escalating necessity for proficient international trade.

We most often write about air cargo’s greatest challenge is to balance supply and demand but there is a third component in this equation equally as important, namely infrastructure and capability. If the demand is there for temperature sensitive or valuable or any form of specialized cargo yet no corresponding infrastructure is in place then the cargo has to move by alternative means. So we need ground infrastructure to lead the cycle in readiness for demand to materialize in order for supply to be procured and successful transport can ensue.

Why is digitalization important? First question we should think to answer is who’s it important for? Who’s the one most benefited by this digitalization and therefore pushing for this to become a reality, who’s the stakeholder behind this need?

One clear winner of the air freight industry’s battle against COVID disruption was digitalisation.

Stakeholders’ rapid investment in tailor made software, as old processes were rendered redundant in a lockdown world, restored and improved the efficient, quick, and accurate communication channels required.

In turbulent times, the strong survive. And the gap between digitally empowered companies those who use linear, paper-based processes is only getting bigger. Because they continuously raise the bar for service quality, transparency and compliance.

In the next five years, we see digitalization enabling Air Cargo businesses to use data-driven insights to understand customer preferences and improve their customer experience with real-time data streams for a digitized cargo management system as well as Air Cargo ecosystem.

Air Canada Cargo didn’t wait for the pandemic to hit in March 2020 to begin evolving its business. The airline was already on the path towards digitization, converting data to a digital format. Digitized data, used to automate processes, can make data more accessible and create operational efficiencies. A good example is the ongoing support to promote the use of IATA’s e-AWB throughout the industry, reducing the need for paper air waybills.