Kühne+Nagel and Lufthansa Cargo driving paperless logistics revolution

Kühne+Nagel and Lufthansa Cargo have launched a pilot project for totally digitalized (i.e., paperless) air freight processes. As detailed in a press release issued by the logistics specialist from Schindellegi in the canton of Schwyz, this aims to eliminate the use of paper transportation documents. To this end, electronic air waybills, accompanying documents and paper pouches can all be deployed.

To kick-off the cooperation, general cargo shipments between Germany and Hong Kong were handled digitally in full. The aim is to establish a totally “paperless corridor” between Europe and Asia for the general cargo sector. By jointly increasing their commitment to using innovative technologies, the cooperation partners are taking a step towards a “more sustainable and efficient future in logistics”, the press release states.

The move away from physical documentation and paper not only generates time savings and efficiency gains, but also offers “further potential for automation in order to reach the best possible transparency and data quality for our customers around the globe”, comments Kolja Mahler-Wingen, Vice President Air Logistics Operations Germany at Kühne+Nagel, in the press release.

Dr. Jan-Wilhelm Breithaupt, Vice President Global Fulfillment Management at Lufthansa Cargo, underlines the opportunities to increase handling efficiency, data availability and transparency. The transition will “significantly reduce processing times plus complexity and offers just in time shipment status information”, he concludes. ce/heg