Members of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol’s logistics community strongly support the continuing drive for innovation and industry leadership, and want it to be jointly led by the airport’s cargo department, Air Cargo Netherlands (the Dutch airfreight industry representative body) and Cargonaut (the Schiphol cargo community information platform). This was one of the conclusions from a poll of over 100 representatives from all sections of Schiphol’s logistics community, who attended a customer event organised by Cargonaut to research views on future innovation. The conference began with three presentations, after which delegates voted on 13 questions. Their responses will now help to shape future innovation activities. Almost all delegates felt Schiphol should continue to play a leading role in global air cargo, and agreed that it would be necessary to work differently to sustain growth within the airport’s current footprint. Delegates also strongly agreed that a unified information platform would be a differentiator, and that an airport information platform such as Cargonaut is an essential element in the logistics data pipeline. Most delegates said they would willingly share more information with authorities, subject to certain undertakings; and they felt that future improvements in processing should focus on trusted trade lanes and trusted traders. Delegates ranked planning and transport, trade facilitation and compliance, and infrastructure and capacity as their three highest priorities. Asked what they felt were the biggest inhibitors to innovation, they cited accountability, distrust and perceived lack of urgency. The best way to drive innovation, they agreed, is through industry collaboration - with facilitation by Schiphol Group, Air Cargo Netherlands and Cargonaut. Most delegates felt that innovation requires real-life trial rather than research, and almost half said they were prepared to play an active part in future innovation projects. Says Cargonaut Commercial Director Luc Scheidel: “The key message from this event was that most agree the need for innovation, and want to participate. The industry wants to set the agenda and execute the innovation; but it wants Schiphol Group, Air Cargo Netherlands and Cargonaut to facilitate. Our next step will be to organise the management and funding for the innovation programme, which will be progressed by Schiphol, Cargonaut, KLM, ACN, Customs and NLIP.” Adds Schiphol Cargo Director Jonas van Stekelenburg: “This was a very interesting and valuable exercise in gauging the views and aspirations of our community. It is clear that they appreciate how much has been achieved through past community collaboration, and with Schiphol Cargo’s stance as a neutral facilitator. We now have a clear mandate and an agenda that will drive our future activities.”