Lufthansa Despatch First Paperless Shipment
30 / 09 / 2008
LUFTHANSA Cargo, together with its global partner DB Schenker, despatched the first paperless airfreight shipment from the German market. Right on time, at 17.55 hrs, local time, the item of freight on board Lufthansa flight LH712, left Frankfurt heading for the South Korean capital of Seoul. As a result, the first e-freight transport started a month earlier than originally planned.
“Lufthansa Cargo has heralded in the e-freight age in Germany and with that, once again confirmed its claim to the leading role within the airfreight industry,” said Carsten Spohr, chairman of the executive board of Lufthansa Cargo. “With paperless freight transport, together with our customers, we move the industry forward, because e-freight not only improves the data quality, but above all, also increases efficiency and, in addition, spares the environment. We would therefore like to quickly acquire as many customers as possible for paperless freight transport.”
DB Schenker chairman, Norbert Bensel, member of the Deutsche Bahn management board for transportation and logistics, said: “This premier will show our customers how far ahead of the competition we are when it comes to innovation. In the Netherlands, Canada, Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea, Australia and in the UK, DB Schenker has already successfully introduced paperless airfreight handling.”
After the successful maiden flight, which was prepared in close cooperation with the German authorities and customs, the use of e-freight is planned to be gradually increased on the route between Germany and Korea. Furthermore, in the next few months Lufthansa Cargo wants to extend e-freight to further German stations and markets in Asia, like Singapore and Hong Kong.