The International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with GS1, a global standards organisation to provide a framework for further cooperation. A joint working group will now commence digitising FIATA documents, using the GS1 global unique identification system, enabling FIATA members to become more efficient as compared to the former “paperwork” and to improve the services they provide to their customers.
The transport and logistics (T&L) industry provides the backbone of global trade by servicing customers and suppliers in global supply and demand chains. T&L processes provide critical links in the global economy, interconnecting countless manufacturers, traders, retailers and service providers as parts of complex networks that serve many industries in all countries worldwide.
As goods move from points of origin to points of destination, logistics services providers (e.g., freight forwarders, transporters and other stakeholders) must maintain control and visibility of these movements to make informed decisions that ensure the smooth flow of the goods to consumers. Today, these services are expected to be faster, more reliable, more secure and transparent to satisfy ever-increasing consumer expectations.
Rapid developments in logistics call for new solutions
Rapid developments in logistics, in response to evolving consumer requirements for real-time visibility across the entire domain of multi-modal transport, call for new solutions and closer cooperation between the two organisations. Based on extensive experience coupled with the global reach of their constituencies, GS1 and FIATA are two leading membership-based associations that are best equipped to respond to these modern challenges. With the MoU, FIATA and GS1 are continuing to build on a 20-year relationship.
To kick-off this effort, FIATA’s Advisory Body Information Technology (ABIT) is following a step-by-step approach for identifying and migrating all of their documents into a digital platform, using the GS1 global unique identification system. This project will enable the global FIATA community to offer high-quality intermodal solutions for the benefit of all supply chain stakeholders.
Additional links: Pdf version of the press release
