New digital data sharing concept to be piloted

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Tosoh Corporation, Panalpina World Transport, KLM Cargo and facilitating parties Schiphol Cargo, Dutch Customs authorities and Cargonaut, are collaborating in an initiative to re-use data from the shipper throughout the supply chain – as part of joint vision to make processes smoother and more efficient.

Global chemical and specialty materials company, Tosoh will act as the launch customer, enabling the concept to be proven in practice with its logistics service provider Panalpina and KLM Cargo.

The initiative is facilitated by the connected logistic data backbones of TCF/SAC and Schiphol that is operated by Cargonaut. This is thanks to the iShare digital governance model that is currently being rolled out in the Netherlands, information in the logistic data backbones is accessible for authorised eyes only, subject to supply chain partner agreement.

Tosoh supply chain manager and chairman of TIACA´s shippers Advisory Committee, Lars Droog says the aim of the scheme is to see what is happening with data from the source and the objectives are to develop shorter lead-times, improved efficiency, increased visibility and reliable data.

The data concept has been developed to attempt to fix a problem in the air cargo supply chain as there is little, or no data exchange in each process step, no supply chain visibility and too much lag time and unpredictability due to the lack of timely information in each process.

Droog explains that the shipper (Tosoh) will decide who and what data is shared with logistics partners such as Panalpina, other supply chain partners and airport operators and authorities.

Tosoh will then make the data available and be in charge of the data through the logistic data backbones by using the iSHARE model– the governance and rules –  a uniform set of arrangements for identification, authentication and authorisation.

Cargonaut chief executive officer, Nanne Onland says iSHARE enables data-owners (in this case Tosoh) to stay in charge and to decide what data will be shared, or not and with whom.

He explains that the scheme will hopefully enable organisations to share logistics data with multiple other systems in a “uniform, simple and controlled way”.

Onland notes that in the first phase, the aim of the Tosoh Initiative is not to make process change and is only to see what is gained from the data and what impact reusing has to different partners.

“In this first phase, it is not our intention to change the process – the difficult part. We hope by starting to reuse the information that ultimately players can use it and get insight in how to do better things better,” Onland says.

KLM Cargo director of operational integrity, compliance and safety, Kester Meijer adds: “We are in dialogue with Tosoh, and Panalpina to stop a process, or take out and improve that process, as they already have the information available.”

The data-sharing concept was detailed in a session at TIACA’s Executive Summit, which took place from 18-20 October in Miami, and Onland says discussions yielded some interesting points.

He explains the scheme received “positive encouragement” from various associations and supply chain stakeholders, which included the World Customs Organization who wants to “see what happens” from the pilot run, while Onland notes TIACA also found it very interesting.

Onland says there is also potential down the line for TIACA to be involved and play an important role in the data-sharing concept, as the association as an independent party could be the identifier, assessing identities in the supply chain.

Backbones enable unique identifying of a shipment combining different sources, from shippers and all involved logistic parties.

Onland says: “We will be very happy if TIACA embraces the concept and if TIACA adopts it as a tool, which is the thinking behind iSHARE.”

Future data sharing and collaboration between different parts of the supply chain using digital platforms is vital in creating a successful air cargo industry for decades to come.