eFreight – go paperless with Lufthansa Cargo.
eFreight components – electronic freight documents.
The electronic Air Waybill being an exchanged electronic message constitutes the legal basis for the transport agreement between freight forwarder and airline and is the first major digitized document.
The IATA standard electronic consignment security declaration is the digital equivalent to the regular paper-security and screening information of shipments.
The electronic Dangerous Goods Declaration is a new, digital standard for the management of Dangerous Goods Data throughout the supply chain.
eFreight components – process acceleration through electronic data exchange.
PreCheck is the preceded, electronic document processing of FWB and FHL messages belonging to an eAWB shipment through Lufthansa Cargo resulting in immediate response about their content quality.
This service enables you to create shipments lists with Export and Import shipments for a faster drop-off or pick-up.
With the new self-service terminals Lufthansa Cargo offers freight deliverers a quick check-in and to skip the counter process.
eAWB - electronic Air Waybill.
Since January 2019 the electronic Air Waybill (eAWB) is the default contract of carriage for all air cargo shipments on enabled trade lanes.
In 2020, IATA announced an industry goal to achieve 100% eAWB by the end of 2022, meaning that all shipments will be carried only with electronic air waybills (eAWB). To meet this goal, all shipments on eAWB feasible trade lanes with Lufthansa Cargo will be transported exclusively as eAWB shipments – eAWB only. For shipments that are not delivered as eAWB, Lufthansa Cargo applies a chargeable “Paper-to-eAWB” (P2e) service which enables a paper- to an eAWB shipment. For shipments already delivered as eAWB the known procedure remains unchanged.
eAWB (electronic Air Waybill) being an exchanged electronic message constitutes the legal basis for the transport agreement between freight forwarder and airline and is the first major digitized document. For differentiation between fully digitized shipments and those with accompanying paper documents two process variants were introduced:
EAW = eAWB shipments without accompanying paper documents.
EAP = eAWB shipments with accompanying paper documents, e.g. pouch, consol manifest, etc.
The ‘Single Process’ makes it possible for customers to deliver freight without paper-AWB for all receiving stations worldwide, without differentiation between digital or paper-AWB processes:
- A customer delivers an eAWB-shipment without the respective paper document to a ‘Single Process’ station.
- Lufthansa Cargo automatically decides whether a paper-AWB is needed by local authorities or at destination.
- On non-eAWB capable lanes Lufthansa Cargo will reproduce the paper-AWB for the customer as a standardized and innovative industry solution for all lanes.
The following requirements apply for eAWB with Lufthansa Cargo:
- Sign the IATA Multilateral Agreement (IATA Resolution 672) as legal basis of eFreight. For further information on the Multilateral Agreement please click here.
- Contact the respective sales representative to demand Activation Notice with Lufthansa Cargo and define the framework for paperless shipments.
- Fulfil the technical requirements and provide high FWB quantity and quality above 98%.
- Create an eFreight booking and choose EAP or EAW depending on your shipment requirements. Correct usage of special handling codes (SPLs) EAP and EAW within FWB transmission and/or booking.
- Send an FWB version 16 or 17 (or XFWB upon consultation) with all relevant contract data via your message provider or by delivering a message with Lufthansa Cargo’s self-service message capture (eAWB Data Capture).
- Deliver freight without paper-AWB.
Lufthansa Cargo's “eAWB Data Capture” simplifies and improves the capture process and transmission of shipment data (MAWB and HAWB). Also agents without messaging connection to LH Cargo can deliver paperless shipments and profit from eAWB and eHM processes.
The application features a range of functions which can be found in the regular user manual. In order to access the capture application it is mandatory to inherit a Lufthansa Cargo Web Portal Account which also grants entry to all other eServices that are located in the Lufthansa Cargo web environment.
Click here for further information.
Go to eAWB Data Capture
For all non-eAWB shipments on eAWB feasible trade lanes the “Paper-to-eAWB” (P2e) service is applied:
- Paper AWB is already digitized to eAWB at the time of export acceptance
- Shipment data is available electronically throughout the entire transport chain
- Paper-AWB is not transported
- Other accompanying documents are unaffected, e.g. pouch will continue to be transported
- Paper-to-eAWB service starts on 27MAR22
The P2e service is mandatory for all freight forwarders on eAWB-eligible lanes that do not yet use electronic air waybills.
Starting from the 27th of March 2022, if Lufthansa Cargo receives a shipment as Paper-eAWB from the agent and provided the shipment falls within the scope of the eAWB-only process, a fee-based "Paper-to-eAWB service" shall apply. The scope of the eAWB-only process is determined by the feasible trade lanes listed on the eFreight stations list, which is published on the Lufthansa Cargo website. For a shipment to count as an eAWB shipment, the forwarders must have signed the IATA Multilateral agreement, be activated for eAWB by Lufthansa Cargo and transmit eAWB special codes EAP or EAW via electronic AWB data. For each paper-AWB shipment (e.g. no EAW or EAP transmitted), a "Paper-to-eAWB service" fee will be charged, whereby the paper-AWB is converted into an eAWB pursuant to Art. 3.3.1 and 12.2(f) of the General Conditions of Carriage of Cargo of Lufthansa Cargo. For precise fee level and local currency amount, please contact your local sales agent or revert to the Lufthansa Cargo Other Charges website section.
eCSD - electronic Consignment Security Declaration.
Further information and the respective IATA resolution can be found here.
eHM – electronic House Manifest.
After eAWB, the digitization of air freight was pushed further by introducing electronic House Manifest (eHM). The House Manifest (also known as Cargo or Console Manifest) lists all information of the House Air Waybills (HAWB) for each consolidated shipment. eHM replaces paper House Manifest or Consol Manifest with FHL. Customer pouches, which contain original HAWB for example, remain unaffected (regarding TACT rules).
- eAWB activation (eHM shipments have to be eAWB shipments, too).
- FHL data quality above 95%.
- eHM customers deliver CSL shipments without MAWB and without House Manifest to Lufthansa Cargo.
- Customer pouches, which contain original HAWB, for example, still need to be accepted and shipped (regarding TACT rules).
- If destination or authorities need a paper House Manifest, Lufthansa Cargo undertakes its reproduction based on FHL data.
eDGD – electronic Dangerous Goods Declaration.
The “electronic Dangerous Goods Declaration” is a new, digital standard for the management of Dangerous Goods Data throughout the supply chain. Lufthansa Cargo has been a major driver of this standard and the first and currently only airline to support eDGD. eDGD enables Dangerous Goods shipments to be handled without paper DGD copy. All stakeholders (for example shipper, forwarder and airline) use one central data set in an industry collaboration platform. This enables all parties to perform a faster, more efficient and leaner dangerous goods handling process, based on data not on paper. Additionally, data quality will be raised with extensive, central data quality checks. This will lead to increased safety and less rejections, as well as quick reaction times on problems. Transparency along the supply chain will be improved, especially for shippers of these high-value shipments. The eDGD standard is completely compliant with the current legal and regulatory framework (IATA / ICAO).
In order to participate in eDGD, parties have to connect to an eDGD compliant collaboration platform. Currently LH Cargo supports the following platforms:
- Infr8-eDGD (Dakosy, https://www.infr8.de/en/)
- DG-Office, (DGM, https://www.dgm-sdg.com/)
PreCheck - electronic, documentary acceptance.
Lufthansa Cargo offers an additional service for an accelerated and improved goods acceptance process for eAWB shipments – PreCheck by Lufthansa Cargo.
Within this early documentary “PreCheck”, Lufthansa Cargo validates your electronic shipment data (AWB-/ HAWB-data) in a multi-level documentary check immediately after transmission to Lufthansa Cargo. This allows a split of documentary and physical goods acceptance on the timeline.
PreCheck comprises extensive formal and content documentary data checks, it offers high transparency on data quality and the possibility to avoid data clarification needs or data-caused irregularities during goods acceptance with tight deadlines.The PreCheck results are being provided promptly and comprehensively:
- Continuously via messaging (FMA, FNA, XFNM)
- And optional as user friendly e-mail-notification
This offers the opportunity to correct and resend the shipment data forthwith.
Our PreCheck service is available for all shipments worldwide.
- Partially automated and immediate response and feedback about data quality of FWB and FHL messages, which allows, amongst others, a fast correction of data.
- Reduction of waiting times for freight deliverers in the documentary acceptance offices of Lufthansa Cargo due to faster processing of related documents.
- Less shipment rejection in the documentary acceptance process, provided the PreCheck status is “successful” and the security status has not changed in the meantime.
- Less manual inquiries regarding one shipment through Lufthansa Cargo.
- Reduced CASS fees due to reduced manual corrections through Lufthansa Cargo.
- Error messages and clarification take place before delivery and, therefore, not within off-peak hours or outside business hours.
- PreCheck service is only available for eAWB shipments (EAP/EAW)
- Onetime registration (CDB-No. based) in Lufthansa Cargo’s eServices as a PreCheck user
- Up to six separate e-mail addresses can be assigned for selected PreCheck notifications
- Shipment tracking by PreCheck notification settings for operations
- In case some action requirement has been identified (wrong or missing data): Just follow the recommended action described to fix the data error and transmit corrected data per AWB-/HAWB data update
Quick drop-off / Quick pick-up*.
This service enables you to create shipments lists with Export and Import shipments for a faster drop-off or pick-up*. This service is currently in a pilot phase for Export shipments at FRA, more stations will be available soon.
*at selected stations
Additional information
- Shorter or even no waiting times at drop-off or pick-up.
- Ideally no registration at Lufthansa Cargo counters with usage of self-service terminal for documentary acceptance.
- Higher priority for documentary handling if acceptance at counter is necessary.
- Participation in eAWB process.
- Participation in PreCheck.
- PreCheck status of all AWB in one group is „success“.
- Driver knows registration number as “approved” operator (DE/H number) or regulated agent (DE/RA number). Entry of both numbers is possible.
- For all AWB of one group security status “SPX” was transmitted.
- Each shipment group will have one unique code. You will get a printout (pdf) showing all AWBs, which serves as permission to deliver/ pick-up freight for your driver.
- Printout with code can be distributed directly via mail.
- No need to carry AWB copies for eAWB anymore.
- After login, simply select AWBs from your shipment overview - no need to type each AWB no.
- Truck and driver data can be captured in advance.
- Mail/ SMS notification for driver.
- Your driver will be processed faster at the documentation counter.
- In a next step, use self-service terminals for documentation. With this, it is possible to skip the counter completely.
- No need to carry stamped paper documents for pick-up.
- Order loading assistance directly online, no paper form needed.
- Tracking of drop-off/pick-up truck status for a shipment group.