ULD Digital Control For Greater Efficiency

The traditional challenge of the ubiquitous ULD has always been ensuring the availability of the correct container at the place and time required followed by retrieval of the empty container by airlines. This has always been a labour intensive and costly process prone to error and loss.

Now, there is a new tried and tested app from the Schiphol based, cargo IT solution provider CargoHub BV which not only saves time and errors but significant costs.

The current method of ULD management relies on forwarders returning containers within five days, but this frequently does not happen and the different reasons some containers are lost and misplaced which can involve financial consequences. If a ULD is with a forwarder, it’s number written down on a sheet of paper is handed to the handling agent then their control section checks the number is the same as the number on the ULD.

If correct, then this number is typed into the handling agent's own system from which they advise the airline that the ULD has been returned. This decades-old process is still being used in many cases and often leads to continuing errors, especially if typing mistakes occur, thus costing valuable man-hours. To…