THE main problems to be addressed by the air freight industry today are the safe transport of lithium batteries and the total adoption of digitisation, says the new head of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Brendan Sullivan.
'There remains significant concern on the part of our members about lithium batteries and the demand for them continues to rise. Many devices that people want to buy have lithium batteries in them,' said Mr Sullivan, reported London's Air cargo News.
'Our main concern is that around the rogue shippers, the misdeclarations of untested batteries that are improperly prepared, that is where we see the real risk.
'We are continuing to progress with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the Federal Aviation Administration (F) and other regulatory authorities to develop the test standard that can be used to demonstrate the fire containment potential of covers, containers and bags,' he said.
'That has not happened yet and we do not have one specifically for lithium battery fire. There is good progress, but we need to move that forward with the regulators.'
Mr Sullivan wants government authorities 'to step up and take responsibility' and to block rogue producers and manufacturers: 'We must stop the exporters and those who abuse the regulations which place aircraft and passengers' safety at risk. It must be criminalised and we cannot say that often or loud enough.'
Mr Sullivan said digitisation underpins 'just about everything else' that the air cargo industry needs to do and is the means to develop efficient collaboration and communication among the airfreight supply chain stakeholders.
Digitisation must be a focus area, along with sustainability, he said. 'It needs to be part of every decision, every process and every standard, and that is how can we make our industry more sustainable.'
Electronic air waybill (take-up) is a little over 75 per cent and iata hopes to achieve 100 per cent in 2022: 'The crisis brought us closer to that target and we have a number of members who actually achieved 100 per cent. People didn't want to touch paper documents. It forced them to become more digital and efficient organisations.'
Air cargo has all the supply chain data it requires, but the industry needs to connect better and share that data more efficiently. 'That doesn't mean that every party has all the data all the time,' he said.
IATA is working with the World Customs Organisation to ensure that such countries implement modern conventions compatible industry standards to allow for air cargo to flow smoothly.
SeaNews Turkey
'There remains significant concern on the part of our members about lithium batteries and the demand for them continues to rise. Many devices that people want to buy have lithium batteries in them,' said Mr Sullivan, reported London's Air cargo News.
'Our main concern is that around the rogue shippers, the misdeclarations of untested batteries that are improperly prepared, that is where we see the real risk.
'We are continuing to progress with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the Federal Aviation Administration (F) and other regulatory authorities to develop the test standard that can be used to demonstrate the fire containment potential of covers, containers and bags,' he said.
'That has not happened yet and we do not have one specifically for lithium battery fire. There is good progress, but we need to move that forward with the regulators.'
Mr Sullivan wants government authorities 'to step up and take responsibility' and to block rogue producers and manufacturers: 'We must stop the exporters and those who abuse the regulations which place aircraft and passengers' safety at risk. It must be criminalised and we cannot say that often or loud enough.'
Mr Sullivan said digitisation underpins 'just about everything else' that the air cargo industry needs to do and is the means to develop efficient collaboration and communication among the airfreight supply chain stakeholders.
Digitisation must be a focus area, along with sustainability, he said. 'It needs to be part of every decision, every process and every standard, and that is how can we make our industry more sustainable.'
Electronic air waybill (take-up) is a little over 75 per cent and iata hopes to achieve 100 per cent in 2022: 'The crisis brought us closer to that target and we have a number of members who actually achieved 100 per cent. People didn't want to touch paper documents. It forced them to become more digital and efficient organisations.'
Air cargo has all the supply chain data it requires, but the industry needs to connect better and share that data more efficiently. 'That doesn't mean that every party has all the data all the time,' he said.
IATA is working with the World Customs Organisation to ensure that such countries implement modern conventions compatible industry standards to allow for air cargo to flow smoothly.
SeaNews Turkey
