Secure the supply chain: IATA called on governments to
implement mutually-recognized secure supply chain
regimes. The Secure Freight initiative championed by
IATA is an example of a supply chain framework which is
being piloted in eight locations worldwide. The first
was Malaysia where studies have estimated that Secure
Freight also brings an economic benefit of $1-$2 billion
over five years. “Air cargo is a global network. We need
a risk-based approach with states mutually recognizing
their security regimes,” said Tyler. He noted progress
with the US Air Cargo Advanced Screening (ACAS) program,
the EU’s Air Cargo or Mail Carrier operating into the
European Union from a Third Country Airport ( ACC3)
security directive and the e-Cargo Security Declaration
(e-CSD).
Ensure that dangerous goods regulations are followed:
Safety is the industry’s top priority. Recent concerns
over lithium batteries transported as air cargo have
reinforced the need for greater education and
communication over the rules for shipping these items.
“We don’t need more regulation. But we need to ensure
that the regulations we have are followed. With over 50
million tonnes of cargo transported by air annually, it
is a big challenge. And this is being made even bigger
as the number of shippers proliferates—particularly with
the growth of e-commerce,” said Tyler.
Focus on environmental sustainability: “The ability to
manage our carbon emissions is our license to grow. That
is why we are committed—as an industry—to improving fuel
efficiency by 1.5% annually to 2020, capping CO2
emissions from 2020 with carbon-neutral growth (CNG2020)
and cutting net emissions in half by 2050 compared to
2005. No other global industry has made such
commitments. And the strategy to achieve these is agreed
and clear—focusing on technology, operations,
infrastructure and positive economic measures,” said
Tyler.
2013 is a crucial year for aviation. The International
Civil Aviation Organization is leading efforts to
develop a global solution for the market-based measures
(MBMs) needed to help aviation reach its CNG2020 goal.
“Finding agreement among governments on a global
approach will not be easy. The industry is united and
doing all that it can to help. At the direction of our
Board of Governors we are working through our governance
processes to achieve an industry agreement on how to
share the burden of CNG2020. And the efforts of the
cargo community to develop a common carbon calculator
will assist in the dialogue and further the transparency
that is a cornerstone of our approach to sustainability.
And we continue to remind governments that their role
extends beyond MBMs. Their role in supporting
initiatives such as implementing the Single European Sky
and the commercialization of sustainable biofuels for
aviation is critical to the industry’s long-term
sustainability,” said Tyler.
“Air cargo plays
a critical role in driving economic growth and
development. This is not always fully appreciated by
governments. That is why it is essential that the supply
chain speaks with a single voice to articulate policies
that support its success. I hope that GACAG will
facilitate a joint action plan to focus on persuading
key governments of the need to put cargo at the heart of
their economic strategies,” said Tyler.
Tyler also announced that work with FIATA to modernize
the Cargo Agency Program, which will put the
airline-freight forwarder relationship on a stronger
footing, was making good progress. A series of proposals
will be submitted to the Cargo Agency Conference later
in the year. “These will help the program to reflect the
reality of the principal-to-principal relationship that
exists in over 70% of transactions performed between
airlines and their forwarding partners. And it reflects
the changing rules and obligations linked to liabilities
between the partners,” said Tyler.
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