Quality standards organisation Cargo iQ has joined forces 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.

Lothar Moehle, executive director at Cargo iQ, said: “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.

“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.”

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.

Stéphane Graber, director general at FIATA, said: “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.”

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.

Fabio Gamba, ASA’s director general, said: “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.”