Thanks to FRA-OS, imports at Frankfurt Airport are faster

The first experiences with the new import platform FRA-OS at Frankfurt Airport show that the new processes and high transparency measurably increase the speed of import handling for consolidated shipments. This is reported unanimously by various freight forwarders and handling agents. Customs is also satisfied with the digitization of the process.

(Frankfurt/Main) Many of the large freight forwarders have already connected to the FRA-OS import platform. They are taking advantage of the new opportunity to present import consolidated cargo to customs themselves at their own gateway/storage on the airport premises. Fabian Heilmann from Kühne + Nagel in Frankfurt reports: “Since the introduction, we have noticeably become faster. Since the handling agent no longer has to declare the goods for us, they can be handed over to us almost immediately after unloading.”

Control notifications accelerate communication for customs

A prerequisite for customs acceptance of this solution was that customs officers can electronically track the goods on the airport premises via status messages and thus have access to them at any time. Markus Tönsgerlemann, head of the main customs office in Frankfurt am Main, is very satisfied with the result: “The FRA-OS platform provides the necessary transparency, and the dashboard is easy to use. With just a few clicks, we can see which shipments are on their way and where they are located exactly. Control notifications for the summary import declaration have also been integrated into FRA-OS, simplifying and speeding up communication.” Furthermore, regular coordination meetings with customs are held in connection with the 1:1 referencing and the further development of FRA-OS Import.

Increasing demand for status information

Transparency is also a significant advantage for freight forwarders in import handling. Heilmann reports: “We receive all relevant status information through the platform, allowing us to better plan processes and optimize workflows.” This information could also be made available to shippers/recipients, where the demand for such information is increasing significantly.

The trigger for the change in processes was the customs-mandated implementation of 1:1 referencing at the individual shipment level during customs clearance. Before the process was changed, the import consolidated cargo had to be declared by the handling agent based on the Master Airway Bill (MAWB). Today, each individual shipment of the consolidated cargo must be presented separately (at the level of the House Airway Bills).

Throughput at LUG will increase

For handling agents, processing under these new regulations would have been hardly manageable. “With the previous processes, we wouldn’t have been able to reference everything. The new physical division by HAWB is something we cannot represent in bulk. We simply lack the space,” confirms Patrik Tschirch, managing director of the handling agent LUG. By shifting these processes to the freight forwarder and the newly created transparency, especially in ground handling services, throughput at LUG will increase.

Delivered up to a day faster

According to Tschirch’s estimates, freight forwarders using FRA-OS can deliver their shipments to customers up to a day faster in the future. For small and medium-sized freight forwarders, LUG can take over the 1:1 referencing service, according to Tschirch: “This is part of our business model and can be cheaper for SMEs than building the processes themselves.” For large airport freight forwarders with corresponding volumes, however, it is more economical and also more targeted, due to the limited resources of airport handlers, to take over this service themselves in the future. Almost all major logistics companies at Frankfurt Airport have already connected to the FRA-OS platform and handle the presentation themselves.

Milestone of digitization

The conclusion of the development partners is correspondingly positive. DAKOSY authorized signatory Dirk Gladiator and Max Philipp Conrady, head of cargo development at Fraport, state: “With FRA-OS/Import, we have successfully implemented an important milestone in the digitization of cargo processes at Frankfurt Airport. We are pleased that through good collaboration, we as a cargo community have been able to grow even closer together and want to continuously improve the platform through future developments.”

Photo: @ Fraport