Principle # 3: Concept

The air cargo industry has taken advantage of advances in information technology to make great strides in improving its information infrastructure. Although actual performance frequently falls short of the desired level of performance, it is now possible for all partners in the secure air cargo supply chain to share demand information, shipment status and location, screening and logistics requirements and up-to-the-minute air carrier schedules.

But true collaboration requires more than just data exchange between successive supply chain partners. Rather, it requires joint planning of inventory, packaging, consolidation, screening and logistics strategies, and executing the resulting plans quickly and reliably on a continuing basis. How various capacities (inventory, transportation, storage, screening, air lift, peak load) are used daily and over longer time horizons must be considered from a systems perspective, not just a local point of view.

The secure air cargo supply chain information infrastructure must be capable of responding effectively to frequent changes in demand and logistics requirements. Re-planning the use of capacities may need to be done daily and in some cases on an hour-to-hour, minute-to-minute basis for maximum responsiveness and efficiency.

Principle # 3: Application to the Air Cargo Supply Chain

One of the world’s leading international freight forwarders is currently implementing an innovative, integrated information system in its CCSF’s ⁽⁷⁾. The system is capable of capturing all of the information about an air cargo shipment, down to the piece level, from the moment it arrives at the facility until it exits the facility for delivery to the air carrier.

For inbound cargo shipments the system records the delivery truck driver’s ID and photo, and scans in the Bill of Lading. Once in process, the CCSF operator records the Master Air Way Bill (MAWB) number and weight, identifies the technology used to perform the screening and then records the House Air Way Bill (HAWB) number and weight. The system automatically generates and records bar coded, tamper-evident package tape and seals and allows recording of pallet and/or ULD and truck seal numbers, as necessary, to uniquely identify the screened items and establish a secure chain of custody. All transactions are time-stamped for later retrieval and analysis, should it prove desirable or necessary. The system also generates all the CCSP-related reports required by the TSA automatically, periodically or on demand. Optionally, the system can be interfaced to screening devices to capture images and data related to the screened cargo, and linked external databases to perform personnel checks and incorporate truck and air carrier schedule updates in real-time.

In addition to the obvious productivity benefits, the data captured by the system can be used for forensic track and trace should it prove necessary, and provides the foundation for collaborative planning and scheduling with supply chain partners and air carriers to better coordinate supply chain activities and expedite cargo flow. Used with simulation tools, the data can also be used to optimize material flow, capacity utilization and facility throughput. Systems like this one are essential to maintaining air cargo supply chain security while expediting the flow of commerce in a cost effective manner.