WebCargo and IBS Software announce industry-first Third Party System e-booking integration

 In an industry-first initiative, WebCargo, a Hong Kong-headquartered Freightos Group company, and IBS Software today announced an out-of-the-box strategic partnership to empower airlines to become fully digital with an easy and cost-effective solution, which would also ensure a faster and smoother movement of supply chains during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

This move represents two air cargo leaders coming together to help airlines digitize faster by removing the barrier of expensive and cumbersome internal procedures, and would greatly facilitate faster and more efficient movement of supply chains at a time when the world is grappling with the killer coronavirus.

With the vast majority of bookings in the industry still being made offline, rate management and distribution are not only essential for a truly digital air cargo experience but also critical for a glitch-free and speedy movement of logistics.

IBS Software iCargo platform is used by more than 30 airlines, including American Airlines, Etihad Cargo, IAG Cargo, and Korean Air. This integration with WebCargo provides every airline working with IBS a unique solution to offer real-time eBookings to WebCargo’s customers.

WebCargo is used on a daily basis for air freight quoting by 18,000 monthly user log-ins across 1,900 forwarders who collectively run nearly a million air searches every month.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world; building agile businesses with digitization at their core is critical to ensure supply chains continue running effectively, especially during crises. With air cargo at the heart of making this happen, only real-time distribution and pricing can help airlines rapidly balance supply and demand. Third party integrations like this are what will help the air cargo industry leapfrog its digitization efforts and thrive in today’s volatile world.

“The digital evolution across the air freight industry is gaining significant momentum and at IBS Software we are convinced that over the next few years it will transform the way we do business. Digitalization in the sales and quotation function facilitated through digital sales channels will bring in greater transparency, improve responsiveness, and bring better value to the end customer. We are delighted to partner with innovative providers such as WebCargo to make such capabilities easily accessible to our airline customers,” said Ashok Rajan, SVP & Head of Cargo & Logistics, IBS Software.

Manel Galindo, CEO of WebCargo, said, “35% of all global imports by value arrive by air, yet the vast majority of airlines don’t have automated prices today. WebCargo has been transmitting air cargo rates globally for over a decade, giving us access to the largest network of airline rates in the world.”

He added: “Partnering with industry innovators like IBS Software is part of our comprehensive strategy to digitize the entire air cargo value chain and make air cargo better and quicker.”