New business models have propelled the rapid growth of China's freight industry and significantly improved the quality and efficiency of the air freight.
To boost efficiency and reduce costs, Zhengzhou Airport in central China's Henan Province has launched an innovative electronic air cargo project, using advanced technologies to streamline cargo handling.
The Aviation Logistics Information Platform resolves the previous problems of incompatible cargo systems among airports, airlines, and freight companies, which led to high costs, low efficiency, and lengthy processes.
"The platform connects the airlines, freight forwarders, customs, truck companies, customs brokers, and other entities in the air logistics ecosystem, forming a single online service window at the Zhengzhou Airport. Currently, over 350 companies are using the electronic cargo platform, covering all air logistics companies operating at Zhengzhou Airport," said Du Ming, an employee of Henan Air Cargo Development Co., Ltd.
With just a single waybill, goods can be shipped globally as multiple documents have been integrated into a single electronic cargo list for seamless approval. This improves data transmission efficiency by over 20 percent, and significantly cuts costs and saves time.
Ezhou Huahu Airport in neighboring Hubei Province has enhanced its efficiency by setting up a cargo station at the Optics Valley in the province's capital city Wuhan to serve the airports in both cities.
This model brings airport services closer to businesses, allowing them to complete air cargo warehousing, sorting, customs declaration, inspection, and security checks at the station. It also reduces shipment time and lowers logistics costs.
"Cargo can be loaded onto early morning flights the day they arrive, saving logistics costs by nearly 10 to 20 percent," said Huang Yinmei, manager of Wuhan branch of Sinotrans Air Transportation Development Co., Ltd.
Data showed that the airport had handled over 900,000 tons of cargo in the first 11 months of this year, climbing from the 16th place in 2023 to the 5th place nationally, and achieving the highest growth rate in the country.
New business models drive air freight growth in China
