At Frankfurt Airport, the pick-up process for air freight is set to become digital. The IT air freight company Allivate will in the future have the relevant processes run paperlessly in the Cargo Community System Fair@link.
The "digital right to pick up" will replace the current pick-up slip. The pilot operation of "Smart Pick-up" started at the beginning of May.
Pilot Operation
For two months, the forwarders Kühne & Nagel and DB Schenker, the handling agent LUG, and the forwarding service provider CHI Cargo will test the interplay of the new digital processes.
Instead of the physical
pick-up slip, the pilot partners will pass on the digital right to pick up as legitimacy for the freight issue via the Fair@link platform.
"The new digital authorization for pick-up enables efficient shipment handover and represents a significant leap for the digitalization of logistics processes at Frankfurt Airport," said Allivate Managing Director Martina Schikorr.
Seamless Transport Chain
According to her, the traceability of the pick-up processes will also be improved, which in turn is expected to lead to more transparency and security in the entire supply chain.
Smart Pick-up already initiates the processes on the ground when
the shipments are still in the air. Authorization for pick-up can occur up to two hours before landing. This way, a seamless transfer in the transport chain is expected to be enabled after the freight arrives at Frankfurt Airport.
"In our platform, readiness for pick-up, authorization for pick-up, customs, and potentially hazardous goods status are visible at a glance. Truck slot booking is also integrated. This allows for the earliest possible scheduling and avoids unnecessary trips," explains Schikorr.
Reducing Risk of Forgery and Misuse
The check-in process with the handling agent is also expected to be simplified.
Manual verification of pick-up authorizations and readiness in various systems is no longer necessary. In the future, all information will be proactively provided digitally through one channel.
"With Smart Pick-up, authorized individuals or companies can digitally pick up their shipments without relying on physical documents. This minimizes the risk of errors, forgeries, or misuse and ensures the highest level of security," emphasizes Nouri Boulahrouz, Head of JetCargo Handling at DB Schenker.
It is planned that the new Smart Pick-up module will enter regular operation in the second half of 2025 and will be usable site-wide for Frankfurt
