Simplifying cargo movement across the eFreight value chain with eAWB

Air cargo still relies heavily on paper documentation for the exchange of shipment information. Each international airfreight shipment can require more than 30 different paper documents – increasing the cost of airfreight and lengthening transport times.

The AWB is a critical air cargo document which serves as a contract of carriage between a Forwarder and the Carrier. eAWB was an initiative by the industry and IATA has been promoting it since 2008. eAWB removes the need of a paper Air Waybill exchange between ground handler/Airline and forwarder. eAWB is an initiative developed with regional stakeholder representatives to eliminate paper Air Waybill (AWB) and replace it with electronic data interchange (EDI) message formats. This significantly simplifies the air freight supply process.

The eFreight initiative is being implemented in several countries across the globe. The initial focus is on attaining 100% eAWB worldwide. The first step towards eAWB is to enable online filing of AWB by the Freight Forwarder through EDI with airlines. Kale’s eAWB EDI platform is an access to this Digitalisation process.

The key benefits of Kale’s eAWB EDI platform to the members are:

• Improved operational efficiency achieved through
  • Reduction in data entry and errors
  • Electronic data receipt from shippers, wherever applicable and possible
  • Data entered once will be used for multiple purposes like sending to carriers, customs, customer
  • Reduced phone calls (for bookings, tracking), faxes, courier costs
  • Reduced compliance costs (by leveraging EDI incentives of carriers on ENS/AMS filing)
  • Reduced paper handling costs
  • Save approx 8 Eur on ENS/AMS filing
  • Go paperless
• Improved shipment visibility through proactive receipts of shipment statuses from carriers
• Improved customer service through proactive dissemination of shipment tracking to customers

Business Benefits

Know more about our other solutions on Trade Facilitation, click here.