Training on Air Cargo Logistics and Freight Forwarding

Module 1: The Air Cargo Industry Landscape

• Key players: airlines, cargo ground handlers, freight forwarders, and regulators.

• Types of air cargo: general cargo, express, pharmaceuticals, perishables, and dangerous goods.

• Industry organizations: IATA, FIATA, and their roles.

• Case Study/Hands-on Exercise: Analyze the air cargo supply chain for a shipment of pharmaceuticals from a manufacturer in Europe to a hospital in Africa, identifying each stakeholder and their responsibilities.

Module 2: Air Cargo Documentation and Regulations

• The Air Waybill (AWB): functions, issuance, and data elements.

• Master AWB vs. House AWB in freight forwarding.

• IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR): classification, packaging, labeling, and documentation.

• Case Study/Hands-on Exercise: Complete a Shippers Declaration for Dangerous Goods (DGD) for a shipment of lithium batteries, ensuring all fields are accurately populated and packaging requirements are met.

Module 3: Air Cargo Handling and Terminal Operations

• Processes at origin: acceptance, build-up, screening, and customs.

• Processes at destination: break-down, customs clearance, and delivery.

• Special handling: temperature-controlled, vulnerable, and valuable cargo.

• Case Study/Hands-on Exercise: Develop a handling plan for a shipment of live tropical fish, specifying temperature requirements, water quality needs, and coordination with the airline's cargo terminal.

Module 4: Freight Forwarding Operations and Consolidation

• The role of the freight forwarder as a non-vessel operating common carrier (NVOCC) in air.

• Consolidation strategies: building ULDs (Unit Load Devices) to maximize space utilization.

• Selecting airlines and routes based on cost, transit time, and capacity.

• Case Study/Hands-on Exercise: For a portfolio of 20 LTL air shipments bound for the same region, create a consolidation plan, determining the number and type of ULDs needed and calculating the cost savings versus individual shipments.

Module 5: Air Cargo Security, Compliance, and Technology

• Security programs: Known Shipper, Regulated Agent, and screening requirements.

• Advanced air cargo technologies: track-and-trace, RFID, and air cargo community systems.

• Emerging trends: drone delivery, air cargo digitalization, and e-commerce impact.

• Case Study/Hands-on Exercise: Review a security incident where undeclared dangerous goods were discovered in a consignment, identify the security gaps, and propose a corrective action plan to prevent recurrence.