International Cargo Operations at Airports

Any airport along with terminal for passengers should also provide space for Air Cargo movement. The passenger and Cargo terminal may provide either domestic movement alone, or both domestic and international movement. A Cargo terminal is used for the movement of Export and Import Cargo at the airport, and requires the presence and services of airlines and Customs. It consists of Export shed for handling Export Cargo and Import shed for handling Import Cargo.

The different modes of transport include Air, Water, Road and Rail transportation. Although Air transportation is costlier than the other, it is opted if there is an urgent requirement of the product, transportation time constraints for express or courier shipments and for goods like medicines or perishable goods. There are various types of aircrafts for carrying passengers or cargo or both. There are various authorities who certify the standard of transportation, handling and storage services and the major certifications include ISO, CEIV, AEO and RA.

The webinar session conducted by JBS Academy on the topic International Cargo Operations at Airports was taken by Mr. Sushant Nigam who is a Logistician with about 38 years of experience in international cargo. He also provides consultancy in various aspects of international cargo like regulatory issues and Process Re-engineering.

The webinar session titled International cargo operations at airport was attended by a total of 140 students, and the recorded webinar is available in our YouTube channel. 

Everything you need to know about Sea Cargo and Air Cargo

Sea is the traditional method of transporting goods using freight ships. It is generally reliable and effective. Rates are generally calculated at cubic meters and at a destination port. There is a general surcharge and of course, you need to take care of the customs. However, the total cost is manageable when compared to air fares.

This is a document provided by the transporter agent's carrier to the shipper. Bill of Lading, an agreement for the transportation of goods, serves as a formal contract. It is the procurement of goods which is acceptable for transportation. This BOL must be submitted to the destination port. This document becomes available four or more days after the ship's departure.

How does sea cargo work?

Sea cargo has a great advantage. Container ships can carry large quantities of goods for long distances. Bulk cargo can be stored in containers or simply placed in pallets. It doesn't really matter because the ships will deliver the cargo to its destination port. In contrast, there is a limited amount of land and limited access to land material. In addition, products transported by multiple trucks can be transported by a single ship on a single trip.

For longer distances, sea transport is safer than land. Trucks have to approach rough and unfamiliar territory. There is always the risk of kidnapping, robbery and road accidents. The trip is easy. Ships can also be docked in stormy weather. Merchant shipping companies can always seek the assistance of the Coast Guard for the risky waters of piracy problems.

Benefits of sea cargo

Marine freight is more economical than land transportation. The latter becomes more expensive because a large number of personnel and resources are needed to facilitate the vehicle. A ship can store all kinds of goods. It provides a large amount of refrigeration for items that require cold temperatures at all times. There is also a large storage area for ships going by sea. Truck space is limited and refrigerated items require separate vehicles. The only disadvantages of a ship are speed, navigation, and weather conditions.

All kinds of goods can be transported and delivered by sea boats. These include general cargo, excluded and heavy cargo, bulk cargo, refrigerated products and dangerous goods. However, you need to secure different types of permits and pay the associated customs fees for specific goods. Freight Forwarders can provide you with estimates of fees and documentation services.

When you need to choose air cargo

Air cargo delivered today is one of the most favorable solutions today, especially if cargoes have to cross borders, oceans and even countries. However, it is also important to know that there is a risk of goods being transported by aircraft. The single is bound to lose that cargo, if it does not take extra steps to make sure it stays on track and gets it to where it is supposed to be transported.

Air cargo safety measurements

First of all, the question is, why risk the delivery of goods by air transport? To answer this question, one must clearly see exactly what happens when the cargo is transported by air cargo. Here's what happens: The cargo hangs in the cabin that holds all the other cargo. Once the air carrier is transferred to the desired location, all cargo will be thrown into the air in a type of mechanical feeder, which presents all the cargo of the aircraft to the passengers of the aircraft or those waiting in the cargo. Now, it is likely that it will involve human error. The charge for transporting the cargo to the desired location may select the wrong package, or the actual goods may fall into the wrong hands, or they may be deliberately shipped to other hands!

That is why it is considered a blessing by most people who depend on air cargo delivery on air cargo delivery. Through air cargo tracking, the customer will not only be able to monitor the location of their goods in real time, they will also be able to check if the recipient receives the cargo at the right time.

Air Cargo Tracking: How does it work?

There are several ways to track air cargo. One of the easiest ways is by airway bill or AWB number. In this system, the customer will have to know which airline he applied for the Air Cargo Delivery Service and then his airway bill number. Once he knows the airway bill number, he must go through the various air cargo tracking sites on the World Wide Web. These sites will always take them to the airline's cargo tracking services of the respective airlines, as long as they do not have an Air Carrier bill number for Air Carrier.

Another method, which can be used with airway bill numbers, is the tracking number system. In this system, the air carrier will give the customer the tracking number for their cargo shipment. With this tracking number, all customers should be able to track their air cargo, log on to the air carrier's site, find an option to track the cargo and then enter the shipment tracking number. At the same time, it will be shown where the cargo is now located, as well as an estimate of how long it is to reach the intended recipient.