Piyush Kumar Singh

Industry Expert – Logistics & SCM Sector

Every cargo shipment travels with up to 38 documents. At a time when most industries are working to move into the digital space, the air cargo industry can also envision a paperless future. The Indian government plans to bring down the logistics cost to nine per cent of the GDP and improve Indian logistics performance ranking from 35 to 15 by 2020. It is also promoting a paperless regulatory environment and cutting cargo release times. For supply chain providers, paperwork can be time consuming, expensive and a hassle, especially when dealing with time-sensitive shipments. By reducing the amount of physical paperwork and replacing it with digital processes, shippers will save precious time that is otherwise wasted. There is much to be achieved, but airlines and IATA cannot do it alone. We need a common vision. Support from industry for e-freight, based on a clear understanding of both benefits and urgency of the situation, will be crucial to the project’s success. That said, losses that the airline industry has suffered in recent years cannot be ignored, and e-freight could be an important part of the solution. Additionally, a paperless future in air cargo means having full access to electronic customs procedures and regulations at your fingertips. For supply chain management companies, this will provide employees access to answers regardless of where they are in the world. Maintaining paperless supply chain management processes may also make companies seem more desirable, simply because they may offer a digital tool for partnership.