SATS Ltd, one of the world's largest providers of air cargo handling services, has signed a three-year agreement with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) 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. This follows SATS' acquisition of Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), a global leader in cargo handling, further strengthening its global footprint.

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. This extensive network handles trade routes responsible for over 50% of global air cargo volume, enabling SATS to play a crucial role in ensuring the safe transportation of dangerous goods.

"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," SATS' Henry Low stated.

DG AutoCheck is an automated compliance solution that optimises dangerous goods acceptance processes to ensure the highest level of safety. 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.

"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," David Wall, IATA Director of Safety and Cargo Compliance & Operations Solutions.

The certificate handover from David Wall, Director Safety and Cargo Compliance & Operations Solutions at IATA to Henry Low, SATS' Chief Operating Officer and CEO-designate of SATS Singapore Hub* happened on 27 September in Paris.

Airlines, freight forwarders, and cargo handlers manage the transportation of over 1.25 million dangerous goods annually, and this is forecast to grow by a further 4.9% in the next 5 years, according to the Association.

Using DG AutoCheck, IATA says cargo operations teams can:

• Process a shipment in as little as 5 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)
• 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% reduction in processing time and a reduction in errors compared to manual processing.

*From 1 Oct 2024