Over ACN

The FIATA Advisory Body Security Matters is concerned about the effects of Regulation EU859 and Independent Validation of Forwarders. David Fielder, the chair of this body, voiced these concerns during a recent speech: “Simply put, there seems to be a gap between the expected capacity requirement to implement independent validation by the 2014 deadline and the human resources that will be available by then.”

EU and U.S. certified trusted traders will enjoy lower costs, simplified procedures and greater predictability in their transatlantic activities, as a result of a mutual recognition decision signed today. The European Union and the United States of America formally agreed to recognise each other's safe traders, thereby allowing these companies to benefit from faster controls and reduced administration for customs clearance. Importantly, mutual recognition will also improve security on imports and exports, by enabling customs authorities to focus their attention on real risk areas.

The Netherlands remains a profitable location for long-term logistics operations from a cost and quality perspective. This can be concluded from the benchmark study 'The Netherlands: A profitable location for long-term logistics operations'. This study benchmarks four countries (Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands) in terms of their attractiveness for establishing a new European Distribution Center.

A new Aberdeen Group report shows how the best-performing shippers have real-time visibility of transport schedules, and greater overall visibility of their supply chains. Aberdeen conducted a survey of 128 companies, and discovered that growing supply chain complexity was the top business pressure, with 44% of companies citing it. (Complexity, of course, also means cost.) It then ranked its respondents into three categories: best in class, industry average, and laggards, and went on to show what the difference in processes were.

It became quite clear that the best companies had far better supply chain visibility, over suppliers, freight and logistics providers and internal processes. Read what Lenovo's Executive Director of Global Logistics has to say, and why freight providers need to improve their products. Find out more at The Loadstar...

In response to an article in Air Cargo News on the launch of Aircargoshop, Ivo Aris, chairman of the ACN-FENEX Air Cargo Forwarders Council, explains why forwarders are still vital to cargo. There is more to freight forwarding than the booking process. The key question is not whether a shipper can do this itself, but whether he can do it in a more economic or better way than the professional forwarder. It is a classic make or buy trade off! In the magazine, Ivo is incorrectly referred to as Chairman of ACN.

The Cargo Security of Tomorrow session at the Aviation Security Conference 2010 in the Amsterdam RAI, which IATA organized on October 4-6, was introduced by Des Vertannes, Global Head of Cargo, IATA. The October 2010 attempted bombing of cargo aircraft has made it clear that the security status of all cargo is unknown until it's known. Information on the status of parties iin the chain is essential for cargo security. In addition to supply chain security, one of the core elements of the long-term strategy for cargo security is the use of new and better screening technology. The cargo panel discussed what technology is needed, what it will be able to address, and whether technology is an appropriate solution for all circumstances.

Hong Kong - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reiterated the air transport industry’s commitment to its ambitious agenda to reduce CO2 emissions and urged the European Union (EU) to abandon its misguided plans to include aviation in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) commencing in 2012.

On Friday August 12, 2011, Cargobox Europe, a Dutch company located at Schiphol Amsterdam International Airport, announced that 12 Cargoboxes went airborne for a testing period of 6 – 8 weeks, on board of a Boeing 747-400F all cargo freighter bound for Hong Kong. A leading logistics services provider has announced, after careful study and a considerable amount of preparation, that it would begin flying the Cargoboxes in their 747 freighter aircraft, between Hong Kong, and Europe in a 8 week test program, carrying the 12 Cargoboxes, loaded with high value goods from various clients, back and forth to Hong Kong, three times each week.

ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) and FIATA (International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations) have signed an agreement on a new ICAO/FIATA Dangerous Goods by Air training program. The two organizations are looking at extending their partnership to include air cargo security and to establish a related programme for freight forwarders in the near future.

A call by the Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to include Trade Facilitation in a new package of multilateral trade negotiations has won the backing of The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) which says the move would not only benefit the air cargo industry but also the world economy.

An informative short movie has been made on e-Link, in which Paul Parramore (ACN), Sjef Schaap and Robin Gase (DB Schenker), Monique Rouss (Cargonaut), Guy Driebeek (SmartLOXS) and Martijn Kuiken (Menzies) explain what e-Link is.

The movie has attracted international attention! To view the movie, please click:

For over a year, forwarders had been receiving requests to deposit higher security bonds to insure payments to the IATA CASS. This was caused by CASS managers being under strict instructions to require forwarders to increase security as there volumes returned to pre 2008-2009 economic slowdown levels. FIATA efforts to overturn this administrative measure were initially frustrated, as IATA had in September 2009 realized an internal $ 15 million fraud in their settlement system, and the reaction of IATA management was to impose zero tolerance and remove local discretion from CASS managers, aggravating what forwarders felt were unreasonable and unjust bonding requirements.

The European Commission (EC) has decided to terminate the so-called grace period regarding the entrance of goods into the EU on 30 June 2011. This grace period was set as many companies as of 31.12.2010 were unable to meet their obligations concerning the Import Control System (ICS). Dutch Customs has decided to following the decision by the EC to terminate the grace period for ICS, and will proceed to repressive action by July 1, 2011.

The E-AWB introduction in the Netherlands is a fact now. Since the succesful implementation on May 9 this service is open to all agents and Air France-KLM Cargo is pleased with the enthusiasm in the market.

Last Wednesday night, at 1.37 AM the very first e-Freight shipment arrived at Maastricht-Aachen Airport. The routing of this shipment was Taipei, Luxembourg with its final destination Maastricht.

The implementation of mutual recognition of AEOs between the EU and Japan will begin on 24th May 2011. From this date, AEOs in the EU and Japan will start to benefit from this mutual recognition. The implementation of mutual recognition with Japan means that the AEO status of EU importers and exporters will be taken into account during the security risk assessment procedures by Japanese Customs in Japan, if the appropriate procedure is followed. Vice versa, Japanese companies may receive benefits in the EU, in relation to the security risk assessment at entry or exit.

Air cargo security and e-commerce will be the priorities of the newly-formed Global Air Cargo Advisory Group (GACAG) after its four founding member associations finalized and signed the basic principles of the Group at the IATA World Cargo Symposium in Istanbul. FIATA, the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) and the Global Shippers' Forum (GSF) also agreed to address the issues of Customs and trade facilitation and sustainability of the global air cargo industry.