In December 2024, three freight forwarders on the Chinese Mainland – Sinotrans Air Freight, WECAN International Freight Forwarding International Logistics and ALL-LINK Logistics – started exchanging electronic air waybill (eAWB) and shipment status information with Cathay Cargo using an API designed to ONE Record data standards.
In January, they were followed by Sinotrans Hong Kong Air Transportation Development, which became the first Hong Kong forwarder to submit eAWB information and review shipment information from Cathay Cargo using ONE Record data protocols.
“We are thrilled to be the first cargo forwarder to partner with Cathay Pacific in the roll-out of ONE Record for data communication,” said Sinotrans Director of Digitalisation Wen Xuan Zang. “This innovative approach will revolutionise our operations while enhancing efficiency and transparency in cargo shipment processes. We look forward to setting new industry standards together with Cathay Cargo and providing our customers with an even higher level of service.”
Cathay Director Cargo Tom Owen said that these implementations demonstrated Cathay Cargo’s continuing commitment to take a leadership role in the digitalisation of the air-cargo shipment process. “At Cathay Cargo, we know how important it is to work with our customers to increase the transparency and data connectivity of air cargo,” he said. “The technical ease of aligning our key customers’ systems using ONE Record protocols with APIs highlights that there is nothing to fear in making the change and lots to be gained from the operational efficiencies, enhanced security and greater transparency of the overall shipment process.”
Sinotrans uploaded its eAWB information through ONE Record via an API coordinated, designed and hosted by Cathay Cargo’s innovation partner, Global Logistics System (HK) Company Limited (GLS), which has also designed other digitalisation projects for the carrier’s commercial and operational settings, including Click & Ship, Cathay Cargo’s online booking platform.
“As Cathay Cargo’s leading airfreight systems solution partner, GLS is at the forefront of ONE Record implementation,” said GLS Chief Executive Simon Ng. “Our goal is to enable ONE Record across the entire logistics chain and encourage the move beyond from the legacy communication method between airlines and forwarders. We are committed to assisting all our users to be fully compliant with IATA ONE Record requirements by January 1, 2026.”
The ONE Record data connection enables all stakeholders in the shipment process to extract richer data from the shipment journey, beyond the standard departure and arrival data derived from CIMP (Cargo Interchange Message Procedure), the standard communication link between airline and forwarder. It can now include multi-dimensional data from Cathay Cargo’s Ultra Track solution, or data from cooltainers with data transmitters, particularly Envirotainer’s Releye packaging, for example.
“We want to extend this service to shippers, traders and e-commerce providers, offering piece-level tracking to enhance transparency,” added Ng. “By incorporating additional statuses such as pre-loading advance cargo information (PLACI), advance commercial information (ACI), along with cargo terminal operator and ground handling agent updates into ONE Record, we will provide comprehensive tracking information to all stakeholders.”
IATA Head of Digital Cargo Henk Mulder said: “I am delighted to see this real-world production example of communication between different cargo stakeholders.”
