Transparency, predictability and planning for hauliers, forwarders and handling agents

Developments within the CDM@airports (Collaborative Decision Making) platform have gained momentum now that the basic infrastructure has been finalised for digital pre-notification for the transit process, import pick-up and export delivery including the ULD process. Within the platform pre-notifications can now be carried out independently but also a connection via e-link and/or PGTS messaging is possible.

Text Cargo Magazine

Now that the basic infrastructure is ready in addition to data exchange between community partners, the platform can be focused further on new functionalities over and above data flow processing for transporters, handling agents, forwarders and airlines.

Digital Pre-Notifications

Hauliers Wallenborn and Jan de Rijk’s transport order processing is now fully automated and the information digitally disseminated to a dashboard for handling agents. Thus, satisfying the need for anticipated truck movements to be transparent to the handling agent. Simultaneously the aviation security level is improved as the relevant information required for access control at the handling agent site is shared real-time with the handling agent via the haulier’s transport management system.

Cargo availability

A common problem is that road feeders arrive at the handling agent to load cargo on the basis of the service level agreement between the handling agent and airline. In practice, however, the cargo is not always available at the time of arrival of the trucker or that, at the time of arrival, there are no doors available. This situation leads to unnecessary congestion at the handling agent’s site and unnecessary waiting times for the trucker.

Within the CDM platform a great deal of effort was put into finding a digital solution allowing hauliers to be informed of the availability of their cargo. This information can now be read by the hauliers in their account and there is also a possibility for the information to be accessed via an interface with the haulier’s transport information system. With cargo availability becoming more predictable, hauliers are better able to plan effectively in order to avoid waiting times and unnecessary congestion at the handling agent’s site.

Allocating doors and slot times

The most recent development within the CDM platform is the automatic allocation of a slot time based on door availability at the handling agent at the moment that the pre-notification is submitted. Handling agents can simply identify their available door capacity and shifts in the CDM. Pre-notifications for transit, import or export deliveries are then fully automatically matched to these. The handling agent and haulier as well as the forwarder are all provided with a planning overview to digitally monitor updates.

The new functionality makes it possible for every handling agent to have a simple solution for door allocation and slot times and also allows the possibility of acting as a “connector” if a handling agent has his own door management system.

The CDM@airports platform is developed from a single window vision whereby data is shared between community partners in a simple manner but also with the option to use additional functionalities within the platform. In this way platform community partners can connect with each other without there being an obligation for operational processes to be included in the CDM platform.