Iberia makes first transatlantic e-freight shipment

IBERIA has delivered Spain’s first transatlantic air cargo shipment using IATA’s e-Freight project.

The shipment to Chicago’s O’Hare International airport was made in cooperation with DHL Global Forwarding in Spain and the US, Spanish and US customs, and Iberia’s handling agents in Chicago, the Alliance company.

The e-Freight scheme consists of a series of digital database entries containing all relevant shipping information, and which can replace the up-to-13 separate paper documents that must now be completed for each shipment. The system aims to speed and streamline the process, offer greater reliability, and save money.

Spain is one of thirteen pilot countries chosen by IATA for the implementation of e-freight. Similar projects in Canada, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Singapore, Sweden and the UK were completed in 2007.

Previously, Iberia had used the scheme only for shipments to European destinations, such as London, Stockholm, Frankfurt and Amsterdam.

Felipe Rodrigo, director of the Customs Administration Department at the Spanish Ministry of Finance, said: “The decision for e-freight was clear from the start – it’s a solid project with a promising future. It will give new incentive to electronic customs handling and improve cooperation between different customs authorities, which ultimately translates into the ability to process goods faster and more efficiently.”