IATA ONE Record used for sea-to-air shipment for the first time

Cathay Cargo has worked with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) on a pilot scheme to offer ONE Record data protocols for intermodal shipments accepted at the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) Logistics Park in Dongguan in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) for export from Hong Kong.

This marks the first time that IATA ONE Record data milestones, including security status, have been made available for a sea-to-air shipment, and with cargo acceptance logged outside the origin airport’s cargo terminal.

IATA’s ONE Record initiative enables end-to-end transparency for consignments, logging progress as they pass through multiple links in the chain from shipper to agent, airline, warehouse and statutory authorities such as customs, following IATA’s protocols for APIs – the interface that enables users to connect to the system, and share data in a secure way.

Cathay director cargo Tom Owen said: “This latest pilot scheme demonstrates that Cathay Cargo continues to be a trailblazer in terms of digitalising systems ready for the ONE Record implementation in 2026. It also shows ONE Record’s value in enabling services such as Ultra Track and other use cases that we are continuing to explore.

“This pilot also showed ONE Record’s flexibility, and being able to accept cargo from an upstream cargo terminal and then log its transit by boat was a world first. Our new Cathay Cargo Terminal facility in Dongguan, together with its innovative solutions and technology, played a vital role in the project, and it will bring benefits to all parties and stakeholders for intermodal cargo operations in the GBA.”

The pilot scheme saw air-cargo shipments bound for Bangkok, Manila and Tokyo from forwarder Yusen Logistics accepted at the Cathay Cargo Terminal Dongguan, and pass through AAHK security there.

That acceptance registered as an acceptance milestone on the data journey in ONE Record. The system then generated data notices when the bonded shipments were unloaded for export at HKIA. From there, the shipments triggered the normal ONE Record shipment milestones as they completed their journey to collection by the eventual consignees.

Yusen was able to follow progress by logging into their account in the one-stop digital cargo-management system, EzyCargo, using an interface designed by Global Logistics System (GLS) HK Co Ltd, which has pioneered development of IATA ONE Record technologies since the outset and led the technical and system readiness work for the pilot.

Speaking for Yusen, Cyrus Chan, manager air freight forwarding division said: “ONE Record will really help enhance the collaboration among supply chain stakeholders, especially for shipments from the GBA, and it will improve visibility for our customers. ONE Record is gaining traction and will become the global standard, and we are keen to be an early adopter to align with industry best practice and future developments in air-cargo operations.”

This pilot was a clear demonstration of the effectiveness and transparency of the IATA ONE Record protocol and its proven dynamic approach will increase options for air-cargo shipments from Dongguan and, once established, other origin points within the GBA, which is Cathay Cargo’s extended home market.

Max Xie, regional vice president North Asia for IATA, said: “I congratulate Cathay Cargo, Airport Authority Hong Kong, as well as the other partners for yet another successful pilot of ONE Record in the GBA. This pilot brings ONE Record to a new level, demonstrating the effectiveness of the standard in supporting the intermodal transport of cargo. When fully implemented, this will further strengthen Hong Kong’s status as a key air-cargo hub.”

Cissy Chan, executive director, Commercial at AAHK, added: “We are pleased to have collaborated with Cathay Cargo to complete another successful pilot trial that extends the implementation of ONE Record to cover GBA intermodal shipments. Digitalisation is the key to further enhance operational efficiency in today’s complex supply chain landscape. AAHK will continue to leverage the community-based HKIA Cargo Data Platform to drive digital transformation, and reinforce HKIA’s competitive position as a leading smart aviation hub.”