In line with ongoing efforts to accelerate the digitalisation of Abu Dhabi’s trade and logistics landscape Maqta Gateway, AD Ports Group’s digital arm, has deployed Digital Airfreight Solutions as part of Advanced Trade and Logistics Platform (ATLP).
Developed in close collaboration with partners including Abu Dhabi Airports, Etihad Airport services and Etihad Cargo, Digital Airfreight Solutions will help streamline the movement of air cargo shipments to and from all five airports in Abu Dhabi.
Welcoming the introduction of ATLP’s Digital Airfreight Solutions, Francois Bourienne, Chief Commercial Officer at Abu Dhabi Airports, said: “It is a testament to how collaboration and innovation can help streamline processes to further reinforce Abu Dhabi’s competitive position as a hub for the movement of goods and international trade.
“We are confident that the additional capabilities of the ATLP will have a positive impact on airport and airlines operations by accelerating the movement of air cargo shipments.”
ATLP’s latest solutions will introduce new levels of efficiencies, including reducing waiting times by 80%, improving delivery time via customs integration, enhancing track and trace visibility, introducing digital payment channels as well as enhancing warehouse utilisation through an automated appointment system.
“With the introduction of digital airfreight solutions into ATLP, we have passed a key milestone on our journey to accelerate the digitalisation of trade and logistics in the region,” said Dr. Noura Al Dhaheri, Head of Digital Cluster at AD Ports Group and CEO of Maqta Gateway.
“ATLP is taking the next steps towards enhancing transparency across the entire value chain and enabling stakeholders and customers to realise new efficiencies associated with the movement of air cargo to and from Abu Dhabi.
“The continued evolution ATLP is a testament to the leadership’s vision for a fully-integrated logistics ecosystem that positions Abu Dhabi as a leading trade, logistics, and economic hub powered by a formidable and future-ready digital foundation,” Dr Dhaheri added.
In addition to reducing the amount of paperwork needed for air cargo shipments by 90%, the new services also cut down on unnecessary trips to the airport for air freight agents by 80% by providing digital access to all required documentation, as well as related online payments and handling of documents to the ground handler.
This in turn has reduced the time required for the entire process down from one hour to just six minutes and the digitalisation of documents has significantly improved staff efficiency by 50%.
Delivery times for both imports and exports have also been reduced by 50%, thanks to the online submission of documents, enabling ground handlers to perform pre-checks and process shipments without waiting for the customer to arrive at the counter.
With the industry estimating that global air cargo traffic will more than double in revenue worth over the coming two decades to US $578 billion tonne-kilometre (RTK) Abu Dhabi is becoming digitally ready to secure a sizeable and justifiable market share, according to Martin Drew, SVP Sales and Cargo at Etihad Aviation Group.
Jubran Al Breiki, Director Etihad Airport Services, concluded: “The capabilities of the Advanced Trade and Logistics Platform enables stakeholders across land, sea, air, and future rail, to not only conduct trade in a highly efficient and integrated digital approach, but it also allows users to access the services they need and to pay for them, all through a single-window interface.
“The movement of air cargo to and from Abu Dhabi will be greatly enhanced with new levels of operational efficiency, bringing our customers, forwarders and stakeholders on a common community platform, enabling faster-processing of goods, resulting in significant benefits to the air freight community.”
