The industry’s war on paper-based air waybills (AWBs) just opened a new front in the Middle East. As of April 15, the use of paper documentation will be discontinued for airfreight arriving in any of Oman’s airport outlets.
According to a report in the Times of Oman, documentation will now be required to go through the Royal Oman Police (ROP)’s pre-existing online portal, the Bayan system.
The ROP added that supply chain stakeholders must brace for the new requirement, stating that “all offices, clearance and air cargo companies, airlines, importers, and exporters through airport outlets should take into consideration the contents of the declaration,” according to the Times.
More global industry players are hopping on the digitalization train in one form or another. In a similar move, last month Lufthansa Cargo announced that it will begin charging a €12 processing fee to customers who do not opt for its digital AWB option, and will discontinue paper-based operations altogether by October.
Last October, local carrier Oman Air Cargo launched its own enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, which allows its stakeholders to access AWBs and other documentation through a digital platform.
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