Six major airlines and seven freight forwarders begin pilot program at Shanghai Pudong Airport, marking a significant step toward digital transformation in air cargo operations.
The days of cumbersome paper documentation accompanying air freight shipments may soon be over. In a landmark move for the aviation industry, six leading Chinese airlines have partnered with seven major freight forwarding companies to launch a pilot program for paperless electronic air cargo documentation at Shanghai Pudong International Airport.
This joint initiative, facilitated by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), represents the world's first collaborative effort between airlines and freight forwarders to eliminate paper documents from air cargo shipments. The participating carriers include Air China Cargo, China Airlines, China Cargo Airlines, Cathay Pacific Cargo, China Southern Airlines, and Hainan Airlines Cargo, working alongside prominent logistics providers such as DHL Global Forwarding and Schenker Logistics.
Digital Transformation Accelerates
China has been making significant strides in electronic air cargo documentation since September 2017, when it surpassed the United States to become the global leader in electronic air waybill adoption. Recent data shows Pudong Airport achieving a remarkable 60.6% electronic waybill usage rate for outbound cargo in May, maintaining its position as the world's top performer in this digital transition.
Building on this success, aviation stakeholders are now expanding their digital focus beyond electronic waybills to include all accompanying documents. The new initiative specifically targets the elimination of paper invoices, packing lists, and house air waybills on selected routes where electronic customs clearance procedures have been fully implemented.
Operational and Environmental Benefits
The pilot program, which officially began on November 1, 2018, aims to streamline cargo operations by removing the requirement for physical document pouches containing these supporting papers. Freight forwarders will only need to provide paper documentation when shipments contain trade documents beyond the scope of the standard electronic forms.
Industry experts highlight multiple advantages of this digital shift: reduced operational costs, improved efficiency, enhanced data security, and significant environmental benefits through decreased paper consumption and lower carbon emissions associated with document handling and transportation.
The initiative received formal approval during the fifth meeting of the Shanghai e-Freight Working Group, a collaboration between IATA and Shanghai Airport Group. The signing ceremony was attended by representatives from over 30 airlines and logistics companies, as well as officials from various government agencies including the General Administration of Customs and the Civil Aviation Administration of China.
IATA officials emphasized that this pilot program aligns with broader efforts to develop Shanghai into a world-class air cargo hub, with ambitions to achieve fully paperless, visible, and intelligent air freight operations. The successful implementation of this initiative could serve as a model for other airports worldwide seeking to modernize their cargo handling processes.