SATS expands IATA deal for DG AutoCheck

SATS and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) signed a three-year agreement to expand the rollout and implementation of DG AutoCheck compliance solution for the safe handling and transportation of dangerous goods shipments at key stations across its international network.

The expanded agreement will facilitate the adoption of DG AutoCheck at both existing and new stations across the combined SATS and WFS network, which now operates over 215 stations in 27 countries, says an official release. "This extensive network handles trade routes responsible for over 50 percent of global air cargo volume, enabling SATS to play a crucial role in ensuring the safe transportation of dangerous goods."

Henry Low, Chief Operating Officer and CEO-designate, Singapore Hub, SATS says: “SATS is proud to have signed the first global agreement with IATA to implement DG AutoCheck across our network as part of our commitment to the highest standards of aviation safety and security. We commend IATA for this initiative which is helping to maximise safety and improve efficiency by ensuring clear compliance and visibility of dangerous goods shipments moving by air cargo."

DG AutoCheck is an automated compliance solution that optimises dangerous goods acceptance processes to ensure the highest level of safety, the release added. "Developed in collaboration with airlines, ground handlers and freight forwarders, it replaces manual cross-references of the Shipper’s Declaration for Dangerous Goods (DGD) and IATA’s Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) to help eradicate the chances of errors that may lead to shipment rejections, fines, and penalties for non-compliance."

David Wall, Director of Safety and Cargo Compliance & Operations Solutions, IATA says: “We are pleased to support SATS and WFS in the expanded implementation of DG AutoCheck across their global network. This solution significantly enhances the safety, accuracy and efficiency of dangerous goods handling, which is critical as air cargo volumes continue to grow. SATS’ commitment to adopting innovative safety measures sets a strong example for the entire industry."

Using the DG AutoCheck, IATA says cargo operations teams can:

*Process a shipment in as little as five minutes;

*Automatically generate a detailed report of compliance issues together with IATA DGR references;

*Calculate Q Value instantaneously;

*Make physical inspections easier with the package preview that shows required marks, labels and packaging requirements;

*Display all applicable state or operator variations with a simple click of a button;

*Get reliable business intelligence data and insights on processes to identify opportunities for improvement;

*Is e-DGD ready (XSDG);and

*Provides data for NOTOC and enables automated transfer of DG data to CMS using Connect API.

IATA says DG AutoCheck users have reported up to a 50 percent reduction in processing time and a reduction in errors compared to manual processing, the release added.

Originally published in stattimes