IATA e-Freight Initiative is Driving Change in Global Shipment Documentation Process

Dear Brian,

The Global IATA e-Freight initiative launched in 2004 to create a simpler, electronic, paper-free documentation process, continues to gain momentum throughout the freight forwarding industry. This is helping eliminate the old pre-printed "original" Master Air Waybill (MAWB) concept while ushering in a cleaner, greener and more efficient paperless supply chain documentation procedure.

When IATA (International Air Transport Association) introduced its initiative, it recommended rule changes that provide for Neutral Air Waybills (NAWBs) to be produced in black and white, on plain paper with a laser printer to encourage an eventual move toward a completely paperless documentation process. The entire freight forwarding process is evolving as global technological advancements occur, which means today's forwarding industry requires more efficient IT tools to support changing market demands. A new world of technology is upon us and that's where the concept of a 'proper' or 'original' MAWB is flawed. There is no longer such a thing as an 'original' anymore. This means that the industry no longer has to rely on the old dot matrix process that is hard to manage, align, print and maintain.

With the IATA e-Freight initiative CargoWise edi has created a completely digital document printing process. It works. It's simple, elegant, and removes all the mess and complexity from the process. Documents can be printed in black and white or in color; but are always produced directly from a computer without the need for multi-part stationary or complex and archaic dot matrix printing alignment and generation. It also eliminates the cost of buying pre-printed paper.

Increasingly, in today's global transportation environment, shipment documentation should be done directly from a laser printer or digital photo copier. A growing majority of CargoWise edi's clients are sending house bills of lading, house air waybills and other transport documents electronically as faxes or emails. In the modern world everything is a copy of the image produced electronically in the computer system in bits and bytes. Today, no one can truly say what a 'proper' or 'original' Air Waybill is – we just ask: 'how many originals do you want'? It simply takes a click of a button. Color is not a predictor, NCR paper is not a predictor, Tractor-feed dot matrix preprinted paper is really not a predictor. Only tradition and blind faith in the status quo have sustained the concept of a 'proper' AWB, and there are better ways of determining validity than the mere existence of color or the use of NCR paper and dot matrix printers.

If the global freight forwarding industry embraces the concept of an electronic, paper-free documentation process per the IATA e-Freight initiative an estimated savings of $1.2 billion a year could be realized.

CargoWise edi has a strong commitment to helping our customers optimize their business operations in today's dynamic global environment. For more information on how your company can benefit from electronic documentation and plain paper MAWB printing reply to this email or visit us at www.cargowise.com.

Yours sincerely,

Lisa Tree
Marketing Manager | CargoWise edi | www.cargowise.com

This broadcast [090402_EMAIL_MEDIA] was delivered to Brian, brian@afif.asn.au

If you do not wish to receive future messages from CargoWise edi Pty Ltd, send a reply with UNSUBSCRIBE' in the subject line