Descartes will provide a range of electronic communications services aimed at strengthening links between Etihad's cargo division and its trading partners and freight-forwarding customers around the world.
Des Vertannes, Etihad Crystal Cargo's executive vice president, said: 'As real time messaging requirements grow in our industry, we continue to seek more cost effective ways to ensure seamless electronic channels between our customers, service suppliers, airline partners and worldwide governmental authorities.
'After extensive evaluation of numerous providers, we selected Descartes as our preferred supplier because of the broad range of high quality and global services provided by its global logistics network system.'
The airline will use Descartes' GLN to help it meet global customs requirements, monitor shipments at a master air waybill level between airports, monitor events and match route map milestones against actual event timing.
The GLN also helps simplify shipment management and invoicing, consolidate status data of multiple route maps to obtain statistical data about improve transportation quality, and transmit accurate tracking updates to customers.
Etihad Crystal Cargo will also implement Descartes' Cargo 2000 cargo data management platform. Cargo 2000 is an industry initiative led by the International Air Transport Association and supported by Descartes since 1998. It aims to standardise processes to improve efficiencies for the worldwide air cargo industry.
In addition, Etihad Airways has chosen to implement a programme designed to eliminate the need to produce and transport paper documents for air cargo, in line with the requirements of the IATA e-freight message improvement programme.
Edward Ryan, Descartes' executive vice president, global field operations, said: 'Etihad Airways is a valuable Descartes customer. We are pleased it selected Descartes as preferred provider and that we could extend the value of our global logistics network to help it comply with customs requirements and Cargo 2000.
'Descartes is committed to delivering results for its customers that support air cargo process standardisation initiatives, such as customs requirements and regulations, IATA's Cargo 2000 and e-freight initiatives.'
