2 key pillars for intensifying data sharing in the air cargo world: neutrality and independence

In September, more than 200 representatives from the international cargo industry came together at the 8th IATA Digital Cargo Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, to exchange thoughts on how to capitalise on the opportunities in today’s rapidly digitalising world. We spoke with Henk Mulder, Head of Digital Cargo at IATA and chair of the two-day conference, to discuss the future of data sharing in the air cargo industry.

“The number-one aim of IATA’s annual Digital Air Cargo Conference is to drive digital transformation in the air cargo industry. Data is becoming ever-more important, particularly across the supply chain – to improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, save time and stimulate disruptive innovation in air cargo,” commented Mulder.

“E-commerce companies such as Alibaba are already 100% digital. Therefore, if companies are to remain relevant in the future they will need to switch to data-driven logistics. That’s why we are witnessing a move by industry to explore possibilities for more intensive data sharing. It’s also and a reason for the huge level of interest in the digital cargo conference – we had a full house last year and this year was no different,” said Mulder.

iSHARE and ONE Record: building blocks for data sharing
Among the speakers at this year’s conference was Nanne Onland, Managing Director of Cargonaut. He spoke on behalf of the Dutch Top Sector Logistics about new and innovative ways of sharing data, such as the iSHARE scheme which shares the same vision as IATA’s ONE Record Initiative. He explained how the scheme contributes to creating a ‘network of trusted networks’, and how that can benefit the cargo industry.

Mulder shares Onland’s enthusiasm for data sharing schemes like ONE Record and iShare. “We share the underlying vision of such schemes. In order to remove the barriers to the next level of data sharing, it’s important to have a uniform set of agreements that safeguards secure access to data – and that’s precisely what ONE Record and iSHARE are. Even if there are differences between these schemes, iSHARE can use the ONE Record data model and others such models but we are aligned in our vision and our desire towards compatibility.”

IATA and Cargonaut have the intention to increase their collaboration and they are working on a pilot to connect the Digital Cargo Forum (which comprises members such as Air France KLM, Ericsson, Finnair and Panalpina) to the data corridor that Cargonaut has been able to develop for India thanks to iSHARE.

Sharing data securely within a neutral, federated model Mulder has high expectations for the developments in data sharing. Both iSHARE and ONE Record are involved in an EU co-financed initiative named FEDeRATED which aims to create a federated network of platforms that will connect data sharing schemes like iSHARE, ONE Record and similar schemes and platforms used in various transport modes within the EU.

iSHARE has a well-developed data security model and a common governance agreement. iSHARE participants collaborate based on a federated model; all kinds of systems can connect and communicate within the iSHARE network without losing their independence. Neutrality and independence are two extremely important pillars for intensifying data sharing in the air cargo world.

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