According to IATA (the International Air Transport Association), air cargo carries nearly $6 trillion in cargo annually and contributes to 35% of global trade by value. Their latest monthly report for February 2022 reveals that “despite a challenging backdrop” related to the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, air cargo continues to grow.
Air cargo plays a crucial role in moving goods around the world, and it’s important to know the ins and outs of the cargo you want to move so you can decide on the mode of transportation to use and the actual process.
What Factors Contribute to Choosing Air Transport?
Urgency and speed are the primary reasons for choosing air transport. According to IATA, materials such as radiopharmaceuticals or high-value goods such as technology products and high-value commodities are usually shipped by air to ensure quick delivery. The value of the cargo is also an important factor, along with the need to keep certain food products fresh such as fish and exotic fruits.
What are the types of air Cargo?
General Cargo
The term “general cargo” refers to your everyday goods that do not require special handling and excessive care. According to IATA, these types of items are “retail products and most consumer goods (except cell phones, tablets and laptops), dry goods, equipment and textiles.”
Special Cargo
Special cargo is any item that, due to its nature, weight, size and/or value, that requires special acceptance, handling and loading procedures during transportation. There are specific restrictions governing the transportation of these items that must be followed when preparing, offering, accepting and managing this cargo. These items include dangerous goods, live animals, perishable goods, wet goods and time and temperature sensitive products.
To ensure that every freight forwarder is compliant with international standards of moving special cargo, IATA set up 3 boards: “ Dangerous Goods Board (DGB), Time and Temperature Working Group (TTWG), and the Live Animals and Perishables Board (LAPB)” that control and manage international measures and regulations related to moving dangerous and special goods.
As an international freight forwarder, Pangea Logistic Solutions constantly strives to ensure the safe transportation of general and special cargo from Tunisia to the rest of the world and vice versa, while ensuring compliance with IATA standards and international regulations.
For more information on our air freight services, check out our website
