TO boost e-Freight in Shanghai the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has signed a Letter of Initiative (LOI) with Shanghai Customs, Shanghai Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, Shanghai Airport Authority, China Eastern Airlines and Shanghai E-port.

Through their cooperation, the organisations aim to eliminate the use of paper air waybills (AWB) and implement paperless customs clearance at Shanghai Pudong Airport.

The goal is to improve the efficiency of the existing processes by optimising and streamlining data sharing between the parties. The initiative also intends to reduce costs by getting rid of the security check stamp on the paper AWBs, reports Logistics Business Review (LBR), London.

"China is the second largest market for international freight by air. With much of the world's manufacturing taking place in China, it is essential that processes are kept as efficient as possible," said IATA regional vice president for North Asia Zhang Baojian.

"This can be achieved through partnership and adoption of global standards."

China has already launched test initiatives for e-Freight at Shanghai Pudong Airport, Guangzhou Baiyun Airport and Beijing Capital Airport.

In June 2014, China Cargo Airlines had started e-air waybill pilot at Shanghai Pudong Airport. The airport recorded an eight per cent increase in its cargo throughput in 2014, and is leading among the Chinese airports, in terms of the number of processed e-AWBs.