IATA’s Cargo-XML integrated with WCO targeting system

Integrating the International Air Transport Association’s Cargo-XML system with World Customs Organization’s Cargo Targeting System will allow airlines and customs agencies to more efficiently communicate and evaluate risks associated with air cargo.

    The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has completed the integration of its Cargo-XML messaging standard with the World Customs Organization’s (WCO) Cargo Targeting System (CTS), IATA said in a statement.
   Cargo-XML’s integration with WCO CTS will allow airlines and customs administrations to more efficiently communicate and evaluate safety and security risks associated with air cargo, according to the association.
   “Simplifying processes, enhancing efficiency; and maximizing safety and security are in everybody’s interest – shippers, border authorities and airlines,” Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s director general and CEO, said of the integration, adding that about a third of goods traded, based on value, are shipped by air transport.
   “Collaboration is critical. And the integration of Cargo-XML into WCO CTS is the latest example of the positive results that can be achieved,” he said.
   “Integrating Cargo-XML into the WCO CTS will allow customs authorities using this tool to easily access detailed information about shipments, profile these shipments and identify those presenting a high-risk. Using standardized and quality information is key to enhancing security, expedite customs clearance, optimize customs resources and facilitate global trade,” said WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya.
   New information technologies continue to enter the air cargo industry, with eye toward streamlining communications and eliminating lingering paper documents. However, IATA has noted that these efforts are often hindered by the varying degree of digital information transmission capabilities of the myriad players involved in air cargo transport. The association in a 2016 white paper said new air cargo technologies often fail if there are no clear guidelines and standards for connectivity.
   IATA said its Cargo-XML standard “eliminates the constraints posed by the traditional Cargo Interchange Message Procedures (Cargo-IMP) standard and is designed to promote broader and seamless data interfaces.
   “Cargo-XML is recognized as the universal language for improving e-commerce and therefore facilitates growth in trade and encourages participation in global commerce through electronic data submission for all air cargo shipments,” the association explained.