Quality standards organisation Cargo iQ has forged a partnership with the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) and the Airport Services Association (ASA) to set shared goals for enhanced standard practices across the air cargo supply chain.

The objective of the alliance is to strengthen collaboration between forwarder, ground handler, and airline communities, working on a global basis to achieve common standards and enhanced quality.

The decision was made at Cargo iQ’s most recent board meeting that FIATA’s Director General, Stéphane Graber, and ASA’s Director General, Fabio Gamba, will attend all Cargo iQ board meetings as observers and work together with the board members, with a view to intensifying the co-operation in the future.

“Cargo iQ – an interest group strongly supported by IATA – shares lots of similar goals with FIATA and ASA as all three of us strive to improve standards, data use, and processes in line with shippers’ requirements for a solid and objective quality certification program, so why not work together instead of reinventing the wheel,” said Lothar Moehle, Executive Director, Cargo iQ.

“We look forward to continuing the dialogue about how we can help further each other’s ambitions and progress – this is the start of a strong co-operation for the future.”

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FIATA represents 40,000 forwarders and logistics firms around the world, while the ASA comprises 50 global members from across the aviation services industry, acting as the voice of the 2.3 million people servicing aircraft on the ground.

“FIATA is thrilled to be participating in the board meetings of Cargo iQ, and to join with the group and ASA to drive global standards,” said Stéphane Graber, Director General, FIATA.

“This collaboration is a key initiative in the optimisation of air cargo processes for all logistics supply chain stakeholders involving air freight.

“Along with these other key stakeholders, FIATA’s priority is the continuous improvement of operational processes and representing the widespread and global voice of freight forwarders in a collective, global effort.”

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The partnership will see FIATA and ASA, which soon hopes to become an IATA- recognised entity, privy to all information about Cargo iQ and what members are actively doing in respect of quality improvement.
“This initiative from Cargo iQ to offer FIATA and ASA an observer seat at their Board is spot on,” said Fabio Gamba, Director General, ASA.

“The cargo value chain is a very complex one, and only a truly holistic approach, involving all the major stakeholders, will work.

“We at ASA are delighted to join, all the more so as the importance of cargo, already central in the operations of handling agents, has demonstrated during the pandemic how crucial to the world a seamless and well-performing cargo platform is.

“Together we’ll endeavour to keep it that way.”

Cargo iQ continues to welcome members big and small from across the air cargo industry to its community and is actively encouraging national and regional airlines and handlers to join existing members in the pursuit of a more standardised supply chain.