The International Air Transport Association (IATA) World Cargo Symposium (WCS), is set to hold its yearly cargo symposium held in Istanbul, Turkey and is expected to host key stakeholders from around the globe to discuss the feature of the air cargo industry.
According to simpleflying.com, this symposium is an opportunity for industry professionals to discuss the latest trends, innovations, and challenges for air cargo.
Last year, 1,400 delegates gathered in London, UK, to attend the WCS 2022. This year, the symposium, themed “Age of Change: Moving Air Cargo Forward,” will be held in Istanbul, Turkey, from April 25 to 27.
Day 1: Opening Plenary
The WCS will officially begin at 09:00 on April 25, with the Opening Plenary taking place all day. The sessions kick off with a welcome note from the Chairman of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of Turkish Airlines, Ahmet Bolat, who will be joined by the flag carrier’s Chief Cargo Officer.
Throughout the day, there will be discussions about how the aviation industry maintains focus post-pandemic, an update on the economic climate and its implications for the air cargo industry, and a review of successes and challenges, along with industry priorities for air cargo in the coming year.
As the air cargo sector ushers in a new era of technology, some unmissable topics that affect air cargo – such as Artificial Intelligence and digitalization – will be discussed by a panel of industry leaders. There will also be sessions about talent acquisition, sustainability, and the future of air cargo mobility.
Day 2: Digitalization, Sustainability, and Safety & Security
On April 26, three streams will run concurrently from 09:00 to 17:30. The Digitalization stream focuses on how new technologies and innovations in the air freight sector, such as Machine Learning, Web 3.0, and Intelligent Vision, can transform operations and create value for customers. There will also be a spotlight on how digitalization impacts the future of perishable shipments. Executives from Lufthansa Cargo and Cathay Pacific will discuss the implementation of IATA’s ONE Record (a standard for data sharing and single record view of shipments) by 2026.
The stream on sustainability will cover how the topic relates to the perishable supply chain, best practices in Unit Load Device (ULD) manufacturing, operations, recycling, and resilience in the future of air cargo facilities. LATAM Cargo’s Director of Product Development is set to share the challenges and lessons learned in the carrier’s sustainability journey, especially concerning plastic reduction.
Stream 3 of the WCS is about Safety & Security, focusing on dangerous goods, special loads, and a look ahead at the forecast of air cargo security. A particularly insightful discussion about what air cargo security will look like in the next five years will see executives from the Lufthansa Group and the Airforwarders Association on the panel.
Day 3: Closing Plenary
Delegates are given a chance to share their thoughts at the E-Commerce Think Tank session. The two-hour-long segment will also address questions that industry players might have about how to know if eCommerce is in their shipment, how to identify such types of cargo, and what benefits arise from knowing if eCommerce goods end up in their cargo and mail streams.
At the same time, a session titled “Focus on Türkiye” is scheduled to take place. Industry leaders will share insights on Turkey’s rise to becoming a major cargo hub, adaptability and resilience in cargo handling operations, and how the transportation industry’s collaborative efforts have made a difference to people in need.
Finally, the WCS 2023 comes to an end with the Closing Plenary, covering topics about the future of both the industry and the symposium itself.
