Cathay Cargo Terminal has elevated its customer service offerings by introducing Electronic Shipment Release Forms (eSRF), making it the first cargo terminal operator in Hong Kong to offer fully digitalized import collection. This innovative eSRF feature is an integral component of the Import Air Cargo Collection Digitalization Module within the HKIA Cargo Data Platform managed by the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK).

The implementation of eSRF streamlines the entire import collection process, enhancing efficiency and affording freight forwarders greater flexibility in planning their work schedules. In comparison to traditional paper/manual identification verification, eSRFs provide heightened security, increased visibility for customers, and eliminate the need for paper Shipment Release Forms (SRF), ultimately reducing archival storage requirements for freight agents and contributing to a more sustainable future.

Previously, freight forwarders relied on paper-based identification documents and queuing for truck dock and cargo clearances to obtain SRFs. With the introduction of eSRF, electronic authentication facilitates the issuance of eSRFs, allowing airlines to provide them to freight forwarders or consignees for pre-registration, automatic truck dock allocation, and online queuing for cargo clearance. The electronic recording of inspection confirmation ensures that cargo release confirmations are displayed on mobile devices.

Cathay Cargo Terminal collaborated with AAHK as the pioneering cargo terminal partner, developing this solution in consultation with the Hong Kong Association of Freight Forwarding and Logistics (HAFFA), airlines, cargo agents, truckers, and regulators.

Mark Watts, Chief Operating Officer of Cathay Cargo Terminal, expressed the significance of the eSRF introduction, likening it to the transformative impact of e-tickets in passenger aviation. The collaboration with AAHK aimed to meet the increasing demand from customers for digitalization, efficiency, and transparency. The HKIA Cargo Data Platform, operated by AAHK, serves as a facilitator for industry-wide transformation by providing an open and neutral community-based digital platform on blockchain. This platform connects air cargo stakeholders through a synchronized and trusted network, fostering global supply chain digitalization, innovation, and trade facilitation while propelling Hong Kong’s air cargo industry into a new era of collaboration and efficiency.

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