FIATA Advances Digital Transformation, Multimodal Transport, and Euro-Asian Rail at Key Conferences in Central Asia🚛🚂✈️🚢

🚆 FIATA Encourages Euro-Asian Rail Integration at UNECE/ECO Meeting in Kazakhstan

FIATA participated in the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe/Economic Cooperation Organization (UNECE/ECO) Coordination Committee meeting on the Trans-Caspian and Almaty-Tehran-Istanbul Corridors, held between June 3-5, 2024, in Astana, Kazakhstan. Represented by Mark Bromley, Chair of FIATA Multimodal Transport Institute (MTI), the participants discussed the Unified Railway Law (URL) Convention, a new UNECE instrument aimed at creating a uniform legal framework for rail freight transport. In essence, the URL provisions aim to establish a uniform international legal framework for rail freight transport between the participating states falling under the CIM or SMGS regimes. The objective of the URL consignment note is to eliminate the need to re-consign the goods at the border between the CIM and SMGS systems to facilitate smoother cross-border trade.

During the meeting, FIATA presented and emphasised the importance of harmonising existing transport conventions to ensure legal interoperability and highlighted its support for multimodal transport corridors in the region. In line with this, the MTI Chair highlighted the importance of ensuring alignment and synergies with UNCITRAL's ongoing efforts to develop an international legal instrument that supports negotiable multimodal transport documents, a project to which FIATA is actively contributing.

Additionally, FIATA presented its Digital Bill of Lading (eFBL) and explored leveraging the eFBL solution to support the URL Convention, proposing to include data elements (Art. 6 URL Convention) to meet the needs of the railway consignment note, as well as potential API integrations for seamless data exchange with the rail transport management system.

FIATA will continue to monitor developments regarding the URL Convention and explore ways to support it in strengthening Euro-Asian rail traffic.

🌐FIATA Leads Digital Transformation at 15th International Capacity-Building Seminar in Kazakhstan

FIATA Multimodal Transport Institute (MTI) Chair, Mr Mark Bromley participated in the 15th International Capacity-Building Seminar titled "Trade Facilitation and Digital Transformation of Multimodal Data and Document Exchange along the Trans-Caspian Corridor," held in Aktau, Kazakhstan, from June 11-12, 2024.

The seminar was organised in collaboration with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), Kazakhstan's Ministry of Trade and Integration, the International Association "Trans-Caspian International Transport Route" (TMTM), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the Permanent Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Commission of the Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Central Asia (TRACECA), and other partners. The seminar focused on the digitalisation of multimodal data and document exchange along the Trans-Caspian Corridor, using the semantic standards and Multimodal Transport Reference Data Model (MMT RDM) of the United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT) and showcased best practices and pilot implementation projects, such as the testing of an electronic equivalent of the CIM/SMGS railway consignment note along the Trans-Caspian corridor.

In Session 2, which focused on the practical implementation and best practices of digitalising trade and transport documents, the MTI Chair presented the freight forwarders' perspective. He highlighted how the FIATA Digital Bill of Lading (eFBL) is leading digital transformation in supply chains and ensuring secure data exchange within a digital ecosystem. As the eFBL is aligned with UN/CEFACT standards and reference data models, it ensures technical interoperability with various digital initiatives across industries and governments, facilitating global trade and electronic data interchange. Additionally, FIATA mentioned the ongoing work to map the eFBL with the World Customs Organization (WCO) Data Model to streamline customs procedures and enhance data consistency across international borders. Through the FIATA eFBL solution, essential transport data can be exchanged securely by identified stakeholders according to UN data standards and tracked with a verifiable audit trail using the FIATA Digital Identity.

During the meeting, FIATA emphasised the importance of cooperation between the stakeholders to ensure the digitalisation of data and document exchange using the package of UN/CEFACT standards for a seamless flow of information on cargo transported through digital corridors. FIATA's participation underscores its commitment to advancing trade facilitation and digital transformation in global logistics, thereby enhancing the development of transport corridors, such as the Trans-Caspian corridor.

🌍 FIATA Drives Forward Multimodal Transport at TIACA Central Asia Conference

From left to right: FIATA MTI Chair, Mark Bromley; Kazakhstan Railways National Company, Director of Department of Multimodal Transportation, Nurbek Bekmukhambetov; YDA Holding (Aviation), Chair of the Managment Board & Member of the Board of Directors, Hamdi Guvenc; S Sistem Lojistik Hizmetler, CIS Country Director, Selami Avci; Asia Freight, Chief Executive Officer, Sergey Titz; Sovereign Wealth Fund Samruk Kazyna, the National Welfare Fund of Kazakhstan, Senior Expert, Timur Ospanov.

FIATA represented the freight forwarding community at the International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) regional conference held from June 19-21 in Astana, Kazakhstan with its Multimodal Transport Institute (MTI) Chair, Mr Mark Bromley, participating along with civil aviation authorities, airports, handlers, and shippers.

During the event, industry experts discussed issues such as the current state of the cargo transportation industry and the regulatory framework, particularly in relation to Kazakhstan’s possible role in Asia-Europe routes. Discussions also took place on the creation of air cargo hubs, digitalisation, the opportunities and challenges of e-commerce, and sustainability including sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

As a speaker on the "Multimodal Transport" panel, the MTI Chair explained the essential role of freight forwarders and FIATA’s role in influencing global regulations applicable to airfreight and multimodal transport operations. He provided updates on FIATA's activities towards digitalisation and development of multimodal transport corridors to foster economic growth in Central Asia. FIATA’s digital multimodal transport documents, such as the FIATA Digital Bill of Lading (eFBL), were highlighted as important tools to strengthen and support these developments.

The region is seeing the growing importance of airfreight in leveraging the disruptions and capacity limits in the Central Asia region, such as those caused by issues in the Red Sea and limited ocean capacity, bringing the opportunity for the aviation industry in Kazakhstan and neighbouring countries. On this side, FIATA emphasised the crucial role of freight forwarders specialising in air cargo and local forwarders with global connections to boost the development of the “Silk Road in the Sky” and the need to establish long-term freight and logistics plans that integrate a multimodal approach.

FIATA continues to support the advancement of air cargo and multimodal operations in the region, and thanks TIACA for the invitation to its first event in Central Asia.