Hamburg Airport is working towards the end-to-end digitalisation of cargo handling and customs processes with the mandatory adoption of a new cargo platform.
Together with handling agents and local airfreight forwarders, Hamburg Airport has opted for the mandatory adoption of the FAIR@Link Cargo Community System.
Air Cargo News first reported that Hamburg Airport had opted to introduce FAIR@Link in 2019.
The system was created by the Frankfurt-based airfreight IT enterprise allivate, a joint venture founded in 2024 by airport operator Fraport and software provider DAKOSY.
With the vision of “one location, one digital standard,” regular operations of the IT platform will begin on 4 August. After the transitional phase is completed, plans call for the air cargo handling system to become subject to mandatory pre-declaration via the Cargo Community System during the course of 2026.
In preparation for the changes, the handling agent Wisag Cargo has already connected to the FAIR@Link system with the expectation that it will make operations more efficient amid a growing shortage of skilled workers and increasing handling volumes.
Ingo Veihl, managing director of Wisag Cargo, said: “Instead of waiting until we receive the goods to see which consignments are arriving, we will be able to see this step much earlier, and we'll avoid double entries and paper.”
With Wisag Cargo, Hamburg Airport can now boast 100% coverage of air cargo handlers, including LUG and Swissport Cargo.
“The connection of all handling agents is the basis for the binding introduction of location-wide digital and standardized air cargo handling,” said allivate managing director Dirk Gladiator.
The mandatory adoption of the FAIR@Link platform is also an important step into the digital future in view of the growing volume of airfreight handled at the airport. said allivate. Last year alone, volumes increased by 39% to 65,400 tons.
Alexander Müller, head of office & logistics at Hamburg Airport, said: "This favorable development, in part due to new carriers, is quickly pushing our ground handling to a new dimension. With the Cargo Community System, we are enabling the more efficient use of existing capacities through foresighted planning and digital collaboration.
"We are thus positioning Hamburg Airport as an efficient and future-oriented air freight location."
Going forward, the digitalised handling process will begin when freight forwarders declare their planned airfreight shipments using the FAIR@Link platform.
The handling agents receive the information in real time and can adjust their capacities specifically to the anticipated volume.
As a result, all parties involved will benefit from reduced and otherwise-avoided administrative work, shorter wait and handling times, and optimized traffic management, said allivate.
In addition, export customs declarations can be prepared via FAIR@Link and automatically transmitted electronically to the customs office when the goods arrive, which further speeds up processes.
Jens Sorgenfrei, board member of the Hamburg Freight Forwarders Association (VHSp), commented: “With FAIR@Link, we are creating a robust foundation for modern, interlinked air freight processing, in which all parties involved - from freight forwarders and handling agents to authorities - can work together using a common platform.”
