According to Satcom Global, for the very first time, vessel managers and owners will be empowered to make unlimited changes to their onboard connectivity. ‘They will have the ability to upgrade, downgrade and even suspend their service on-demand via a dedicated and secure customer portal. Unlike existing VSAT services available today, AuraNow customers will not be penalised for lowering their service plan or suspending their service.’

Ian Robinson, CEO at Satcom Global, commented: “AuraNow is a true industry first, designed to support the real needs of the communications user, rather than to capitalise on locking customers into prohibitive lengthy contracts. AuraNow is the only platform optimised to satisfy the connectivity required by the maritime community now, and long into the future. We urge all vessel managers and owners to explore the extensive benefits of AuraNow, before committing to yet another restrictive service plan.”

With bandwidth packages charged via daily increment, AuraNow allows customers to adjust their connectivity and spend, in line with their day to day and emerging requirements.

Bandwidth can be upgraded at any time, at the touch of a button, to support activities such as remote audits, vessel inspections and crew training. Similarly, maritime industries that operate seasonally or on a charter basis, will have the ability to deploy communications only when they are needed, and when vessels are sailing. Vessels will no longer need to overcommit to plans or pay for bandwidth they do not consistently need.

AuraNow is managed by a one-stop, easy to use portal, putting customers in full control of their vessel communications. As well as the ability to make direct changes to vessel bandwidth packages, the portal also provides access to a range of useful network statistics and metrics, live vessel tracking, Ku-band coverage beams, and invoicing and management information.

Source: www.maritimejournal.com

Image: www.pexels.com

The post Unlimited changes to onboard connectivity appeared first on Cargo News Today.

The surface structure consisting of riblets measuring around 50 micrometers imitates the properties of sharkskin and therefore optimizes the aerodynamics on flow-related parts of the aircraft. This means that less fuel is needed overall.

For Lufthansa Cargo’s Boeing 777F freighters, Lufthansa Technik estimates a drag reduction of more than one percent.

For the entire fleet of ten aircraft, this translates to annual savings of around 3,700 tons of kerosene and just under 11,700 tons of CO₂ emissions, which is the equivalent of 48 individual freight flights from Frankfurt to Shanghai.

“Responsibility for the environment and society is a key strategic topic for us,” says Christina Foerster, member of the executive board of Deutsche Lufthansa AG with responsibility for sustainability.

“We have always played a leading role in introducing environmentally friendly technologies.

The new sharkskin technology for aircraft shows what strong and highly innovative partners can achieve collectively for the environment. This will help us to achieve our goal of climate neutrality by 2050.”

“The aviation industry is facing similar challenges to the chemical industry: ongoing progress must be made with climate protection despite high energy requirements.

“By collaborating closely and successfully combining our know-how in surface design and aerodynamics, we have now succeeded in taking a major step forward.

“This is an excellent example of sustainability in practice, achieved through partnership-based collaboration and innovative technologies,” says Dr. Markus Kamieth, member of the board of executive directors of BASF.

“We are proud that we will now be able to operate our entire freighter fleet even more efficiently in the future thanks to sharkskin technology and reduce the carbon footprint of our modern fleet further.

“The investments we have made in rolling out AeroSHARK at Lufthansa Cargo consciously reaffirm our commitment to the United Nation’s sustainable development goal on climate action,” explains Dorothea von Boxberg, chief executive officer of Lufthansa Cargo AG.

“We have always used our wealth of expertise as a global market leader in technical aircraft services to also contribute to reducing the ecological footprint of our industry.

“In doing so, we can leverage significant savings potential from all aircraft generations,” explains Dr. Johannes Bussmann, chief executive officer of Lufthansa Technik AG.

“I am therefore very proud that we will soon be able to transfer the positive findings of the validation phase into the series application with Lufthansa Cargo.

“The extremely constructive collaboration with BASF is also the best example of cross-sector cooperation in the interest of the sustainability of the aviation industry.”

The post Lufthansa rolls out sharkskin technology appeared first on Global Cargo Insight.

Image by holzijue from Pixabay

The post Lufthansa rolls out sharkskin technology appeared first on Cargo News Today.

“MSC has chosen Wave BL because it is the only solution that mirrors the traditional paper-based process that the shipping and cargo transportation industry is used to,” said André Simha, Global Chief Digital & Information Officer at MSC. “It provides a digital alternative to all the possibilities available with traditional print documents, just much faster and more secure.”

Users can issue all originals, negotiable or non-negotiable, and exchange them via a direct, encrypted, peer-to-peer transmission as well as being able to amend documents.

Research conducted by the Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA), of which MSC is a founding member, indicates that by achieving just 50% eBL adoption by 2030 could save the industry more than US$4bn per year.

MSC has participated in a number of initiatives led by the DCSA focused on driving standardisation, digitalisation and interoperability in container shipping.

“Traditionally, the shipping industry has relied quite heavily on physical paper documents. And among these, the Bill of Lading is the most important transport document in international trade,” adds André Simha. “While there have been attempts to create an eBL solution in the past, we are now in a position to introduce a solution that can pave the way to mass eBL adoption, which will mean significant savings for the shipping industry.”

The post MSC rolls out e-Bills of Lading appeared first on Global Cargo Insight.

Image by wasi1370 from Pixabay

The post MSC rolls out e-Bills of Lading appeared first on Cargo News Today.

Martin Drew, senior vice president sales and cargo, Etihad Aviation Group, commented: “Now, more than ever, it is essential for the air cargo industry to accelerate its embrace of digital technologies, Etihad Cargo is carefully selecting partners to enhance customer experiences and streamline booking processes to provide additional convenience.

“Etihad Cargo’s previous API investments have resulted in the successful and seamless roll-out of integrated products with several digital booking platforms. The CargoWise partnership is anticipated to provide significant results through its extensive global customer base.”

Etihad Cargo’s flight schedule, rates, capacity and eBooking functions are now available to freight forwarders using CargoWise.

Scott McCorquodale, chief automation officer, Air Cargo at WiseTech, added: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Etihad Cargo to deliver these eBooking capabilities. This feature-rich integration will enable our CargoWise customers to seamlessly receive quotes, check capacity and immediately book their air cargo shipment.

“Most importantly, this can all be done from entirely within the CargoWise platform, providing efficiency and productivity benefits for the forwarder through data integration and improved visibility across their business. It truly is a win-win.”

The post Etihad Cargo lists on CargoWise appeared first on Global Cargo Insight.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

The post Etihad Cargo lists on CargoWise appeared first on Cargo News Today.

The DCSA T&T API provides a streamlined way for shippers to receive real-time, cross-carrier data regarding the whereabouts of their containers. Widespread adoption of DCSA standards will advance the industry in terms of visibility and real-time responsiveness, resulting in greater reliability and a better customer experience.

The DCSA T&T standard comprises an information model and interface standards that can be freely downloaded from the DCSA website; API definitions are available on SwaggerHub. The data model ensures track and trace data definitions are consistent for all users, leveraging any system. These definitions are based on the Industry Blueprint, published by DCSA and its carrier members in 2019, which established a consistent vocabulary and proposed a common set of industry processes. The T&T standards are aligned with the UN/CEFACT (United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business) standards to provide a global industry framework that preserves existing investments and streamlines communication among all supply chain participants.

“While a variety of digital innovations exist in the maritime industry, MSC believes that new solutions will only be fit for purpose if they can be operated across multiple carriers, service providers and geographies. Collaboration is essential in this regard, so we can establish the same technology standards throughout the industry. The ‘Track & Trace’ (T&T) standards establish a consistent method for exchanging data between carriers and customers. We’re proud to be one of the first to implement these new standards with our customers, thus shaping the technological future of the shipping industry.”said André Simha, chairman of the DCSA supervisory board and global chief digital & information officer of MSC.

Yu Kurimoto,  managing director, corporate and innovation for ONE (Ocean Network Express), commented:“Today, optimization in the way we envision requires digitalization. Done properly, digitalization will provide a foundation for integrating all aspects of global trade, uniting geographies and connecting stakeholders in a way that will not only enable ONE to deliver on its vision, but for container shipping to be seen as a leading light of industry. DCSA is enabling digitalization to be done properly, and we are proud to be among the first to offer a Track & Trace API based on DCSA standards that will improve cargo visibility for shippers.”

“The standards work being done in conjunction with DCSA will enable a level of seamlessness that has been difficult to achieve to this point due to a lack of interoperability across the industry. Digital standards will not only enable this interoperability, they will make it easier for carriers to achieve customer excellence and operational efficiency. But adopting standards and collaborating across the industry requires more than standards alone, it requires a cultural change in the industry which will hopefully start now. We are not only proud to be a founding member of this standardization initiative, we are excited about the benefits our DCSA standards-based Track & Trace API will provide for our customers.”said Nicolas Sekkaki, executive vice president IT, digital, SSC & transformation from CMA CGM.

The post Container carriers adopt DCSA standards appeared first on Global Cargo Insight.

Image source: https://dcsa.org/

The post Container carriers adopt DCSA standards appeared first on Cargo News Today.

The study aims to assess the port’s commercial dimension and especially to learn what added value it generates in the economy of its hinterland, as well as collecting data from other indicators to further assess the scope of its environmental and social impact.

This study is a follow-up to other previous ones, such as the economic impact study that was completed in 2010. Since that time, the Port has undergone major changes at all levels, with a particular focus on innovation and digitalisation as the main factors of competitiveness that the port community of Barcelona has incorporated over the last ten years.

Consequently, the surveys underlying this new study pay special attention to digitalisation, since this is the first time a port has launched a study of this nature. The study will thus highlight the efforts made by companies in the port community of Barcelona in technological investments in all operational and commercial areas —digitalising processes, automation and digital management of different operations, development of PORTIC, innovation in digital services, etc.— which have clearly enhanced the port’s competitiveness.

Port of Barcelona president Mercè Conesa stated that this study “should help us to attach a figure to the qualitative improvement that our port has made in recent years, during which a key role has been played by the development of digital technology, a factor that is creating a more competitive Port of Barcelona, with a growing territorial scope, a lower environmental impact; in short, a more productive port that is improving the competitiveness of companies and the society it serves.”

”I am convinced that the Port of Barcelona would not have the capacity it has today without the firm commitment to digitalisation made by companies, and now is the time to assess the benefits it has brought us”, added Mercè Conesa.

In addition to quantifying economic aspects like the port’s contribution to Catalan and Spanish gross domestic product (GDP), for example, the survey also aims to analyse the other benefits that port activity generates in its surrounding area. Aspects such as employment generated directly by port activity or the reduction of the environmental impact thanks to the measures implemented in the various companies of Barcelona port community are covered in specific sections.

The company Ecoatenea conducted the economic impact study of the Port of Barcelona’s commercial and digital activity. Ecoatena is specialised in these types of analysis, for which it selected a series of companies that are especially representative of the port, both in terms of type of activity and presence in the logistics sector. It is currently gathering data for this purpose, a process that will end in April.

The Port president “thanked the companies and the various associations of the Port of Barcelona for their participation and involvement in this work” on behalf of the people running the study.

The post Port of Barcelona measures value of digitalisation appeared first on Global Cargo Insight.

Image by WeLoveBarcelona_de from Pixabay

The post Port of Barcelona measures value of digitalisation appeared first on Cargo News Today.

Two years ago, WFS was one of the first cargo handlers to sign up for Brucargo’s slot booking app, which allows local freight forwarding and transport providers to request a single or recurrent time slot to deliver or collect export and import air cargo shipments. WFS now receives some 2,000 slot requests a month from companies using the centralised web application.

The latest phase of the Brucloud project – developed by Air Cargo Belgium, technology provider Nallian, Brussels Airport and the air cargo community stakeholders – is to pilot a new Road Feeder Management App to digitally improve the efficiency of the interface between trucking operators and handling providers. Four trucking providers are participating in the pilot; H.Essers, Jan de Rijk, Ninatrans and Wallenborn.

The app allows for automatic booking of flexible slots for cargo drop-offs and collections by Road Feeder Services operators which can shift in time according to the estimated time of arrival (ETA) sent by the truck driver. Once registered, the app tracks the progress of the vehicle and gives the driver an updated time slot prior to arriving at the cargo terminal. As well as simplifying the communications process, the app aims to ensure drivers and trucks benefit from a better and priority service by eliminating waiting times which can occur when vehicles arrive at a cargo terminal and are processed in order with other trucks.

For WFS, the pilot offers the opportunity to gain real-time insight of predicted workflows, which allows it to optimise personnel planning to ensure fast, timely, safe and secure handling of cargo shipments carried onboard its airline customers’ flights to and from Brussels.

Koen Gouweloose, Managing Director, Belgium, at WFS, said: “WFS is keen to participate in and support digital solutions which improve customer experience and the overall efficiency of our operations. Brucloud is already making a significant difference to the way the air cargo community in Brussels works together and provides a win-win scenario for all stakeholders. I am confident we will see very encouraging results from the pilot of the Road Feeder Management application because it addresses some of the key challenges trucking and handling companies face; timeslots and planning are not always predictable due to changing traffic conditions, we rely heavily on manual exchange of information, and language barriers can mean a lack of clear communication with truck drivers.

“This new app addresses another key milestone in the ‘Digital Green Lane’ process and has the potential to benefit the entire Brussels Airport community once we complete this trial stage.”

The app is the latest digital solution developed by the Brussel Airport cargo community to address challenges linked to industry fragmentation for the transportation of goods from manufacturer to consumer, and inefficiencies resulting from a lack of visibility of the end-to-end process. Supported by airlines, GSSAs, handlers, forwarders, truckers and others, BRUcloud is an open data sharing platform with multiple collaborative apps which enable the Brussels Airport cargo community to act as an integrated network. It provides an agile and flexible digital roadmap using dashboards and analytics to achieve smart logistics solutions.

David Bellon, Chairman of Air Cargo Belgium Chairman, commented: “A new step taken in the digitization of our air cargo community at Brussels Airport. With this announcement, WFS confirms its strong engagement in the roll-out of the digital landscape at Brucargo. Air Cargo Belgium looks forward to collaborating with WFS and its customers to implement the green lane processes and improve efficiency and quality for all stakeholders in the community. We thank WFS for all its efforts and support.”

The post WFS joins Brucargo ‘digital green lane’ initiative appeared first on Global Cargo Insight.

The post WFS joins Brucargo ‘digital green lane’ initiative appeared first on Cargo News Today.

Supported by Enterprise Singapore (ESG), Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), and Smart Nation and Digital Government Office (SNDGO), this initiative will play a major role in Singapore’s logistics ecosystem digitalisation roadmap, and is part of the National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy to facilitate data exchange and enable the deployment of AI solutions.

Developed by PSA, SmartBooking is an online service platform which supports digitalisation efforts by seamlessly connecting stakeholders across the supply chain and logistics value chain in Singapore. Through the single end-to-end platform, users gain higher visibility of the entire logistics flow, obtaining easy access to information such as vessel schedules, container movement events and planned activities.

SmartBooking allows processes to be further streamlined, with the optimisation of assets and resources, leading to a more efficient logistics ecosystem and an overall reduction in carbon footprint. PSA, with advisory input from CDAS, has also introduced ‘iBOX’ (Intelligent Box Operation eXchange), a next-generation depot management solution that digitally connects the port with container depots across Singapore. iBOX is further integrated with SmartBooking for seamless data exchange, enabling better truck visibility for enhanced efficiency between logistics facilities and container depots, two major nodes in container transportation.

Ricky Loo, Deputy President of CDAS, said, “Our local container depot operators and transport operators look forward to embracing new and innovative solutions like SmartBooking and iBOX, which will not only improve our efficiency and the competitiveness of Singapore’s logistics and supply chain industry, but also elevate the skillsets of our workforce.”

Ted Tan, Deputy CEO of ESG, said, “Digital transformation has established itself as a driving force of change in today’s economy, with a profound impact on people, processes and technology innovation. ESG is pleased to work with PSA and CDAS to support the sector’s adoption of digital solutions such as SmartBooking and iBOX to enhance Singapore’s logistics ecosystem. Enabling data exchange and information visibility through an integrated platform will allow logistics players in the supply chain to make data-driven decisions and optimise their resources such as manpower and trucks. This will level up the capabilities of the players in the industry and improve the overall efficiency of the sector.”
Source: PSA Corporation Ltd.

The post PSA and CDAS partner up to launch SmartBooking appeared first on Global Cargo Insight.

Photo by Sebastian Kanczok on Unsplash

The post PSA and CDAS partner up to launch SmartBooking appeared first on Cargo News Today.