IATA World Cargo Symposium in Hong Kong: Digitalization, Sustainability & Security

Thursday, February 8, 2024

The upcoming IATA World Cargo Symposium (WCS), as announced by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), is set to focus on key pillars of Digitalization, Sustainability, and Safety & Security. Scheduled from March 12th to March 14th, 2024, in Hong Kong (SAR), China, the symposium aims to underscore the pivotal role of air cargo in the global economy.

Brendan Sullivan, IATA’s Global Head of Cargo, emphasized the significance of air cargo, especially in times of crises like the pandemic, where it facilitated the transportation of essential medical supplies and vaccines. With geopolitical uncertainties affecting traditional shipping routes, air cargo emerges as a crucial alternative. Hence, ensuring the resilience and growth of this sector is paramount.

Distinguished speakers including Ronald Lam, Cathay Group Chief Executive Officer, Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, and Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s SVP Sustainability and Chief Economist, will deliver keynote addresses. They will be joined by industry experts such as Tom Owen from Cathay Pacific, Michael Steen of Atlas Air, Vivian Lau from Jardine Aviation Services Group, Kirsten de Bruijn of WestJet, and Marco Bloeman from Accenture Cargo.

The symposium will revolve around the theme of Driving Sustainable and Inclusive Growth, comprising three main tracks:

1. Sustainability: Addressing topics like progress tracking towards net zero carbon emissions, ESG reporting, operational optimization for environmental performance, reduction of single-use plastics, and circular strategies for Unit Load Device (ULD) components.
2. Digitalization: Exploring data-driven strategies for enhanced performance and cost reduction, efficiencies of OneRecord, and the potential of generative AI in air cargo operations.
3. Safety & Security: Covering areas such as regulatory oversight, fire containment strategies for lithium battery shipments, ULD airworthiness, advancements in live animal shipment safety, and an integrated risk management framework.

The WCS will also host workshops focusing on inclusive talent management strategies, competency-based training through IATA’s CBTA Center, performance improvement through CEIV programs, utilization of IATA’s Cargo Solutions for decision making and compliance, enhancement of air cargo billing and settlement via CASSLink, and fostering efficiency in e-commerce through increased visibility.

Furthermore, the event will feature the FACE UP! Air Cargo Awards 2024, honoring innovative projects in air transport logistics by recent university graduates. Three finalists will present their projects during the conference, with winners announced during the closing plenary.

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