ONE Record Hackathon delivers positive results for air cargo

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Once again, the event helped to strengthen the air cargo supply chain through the innovative ideas on display, ultimately leading to a more efficient and sustainable aviation industry.

June’s Hackathon featured 21 teams, including an all-female team from Lufthansa Industry Solutions, demonstrating air cargo solutions built on the IATA ONE Record data sharing standard. There were six winning projects:

  • The Carbulator by Riege Software 
    The solution addresses the challenge of invisible CO? emissions in air cargo planning. By enriching flight options with CO? emissions data using the ONE Record data model, decision makers can make more sustainable choices.
  • NE:ONE Play by Digitales Testfeld Air Cargo – DTAC
    NE:ONE Play is a user-friendly whiteboard app that simplifies ONE Record data. It allows viewing, editing, and troubleshooting of data, making it accessible and easy to reach. It features an infinite canvas, connection to any ONE Record server, live editing, error detection, tooltips, and dark mode.
  • ONE Record Crew by Lufthansa Industry Solutions
    ONE Record Crew is a solution designed to solve cargo irregularities that disrupt transportation. The solution combines machine learning and ONE Record to predict and address issues, bringing transparency, customer satisfaction, and sustainability to the cargo industry.
  • Switcargo by Air France KLM Martinair Cargo Team
    Switcargo was developed as a solution to facilitate the transition to ONE Record. It enables airlines to execute shipments with partners using both ONE Record and other types of messaging.
  • CargoTracking by Awery Aviation Software Team
    CargoTracking.aero bridges the gap between Cargo iQ members and non-members, improving information sharing and real-time updates for enhanced planning and control. 
  • Borderless Digital Salmon Movement by Vediafi Oy team
    Borderless Digital Salmon Movement facilitates cross-border transportation of time-sensitive goods. BDI nodes ease information exchange between transportation companies and border crossings, ensuring freshness and efficient passage.

“Being a part of a team and diving headfirst into the world of hackathons was an experience like no other,” says Martin Skopp, Product Owner Air at Riege Software. “The energy, the innovation, and the community were simply mind-blowing. I can’t recommend enough signing up your team for one of these hackathons. It’s not just about watching the amazing solutions presented, but actually being in the midst of it all—the adrenaline, the teamwork, and the pure thrill of creating something extraordinary.”

“It was our first Hackathon and our first win, so it was obviously a great experience,” agrees Matthie Curelli, e-Doc Project Manager at Air France KLM. It was a really interesting and rewarding two days. To be able to set up a solution like ours (SwitCargo) in such a short time was a real challenge. But it helped to convince us of the limitations of our current messaging-based system and it’s made us want to push ahead with modernising our internal systems.”

How do Hackathons work?

Hackathons draw a variety of participants, including technical gurus and business experts on air cargo. And they come from equally diverse organizations, including airlines, startups, academia, and sector suppliers.

A team of experts set a few distinct challenges, such as how ONE Record can contribute to sustainability through data capture, how it can improve quality standards, or how can simplify financial processes. There is often an open category too to allow entrants to get truly creative.

The teams get 24 hours to create a solution, often working through the night to do so, and must sum up their workable idea in a five-minute presentation. The experts then judge these presentations to select the winners.

“It is a fun, focused but productive environment,” says Henk Mulder, IATA’s Head of Digital Cargo. “They always happen at the weekend so you know that everybody there is truly motivated to find practical solutions to real-world problems.”

Creating awareness

Mulder says the Hackathon also has benefits beyond innovative business ideas. “The Hackathons create great awareness of ONE Record,” he says. “The fact that we are able to attract airline hosts, participants, and sponsors tell us that there is value in what we are doing and interest in implementing ONE Record.”

The first ONE Record Hackathon seven years ago attracted just seven teams but that has now tripled. Over 80 ideas have been developed since the event began, which is exceptionally quick by any measure, and several products are on the market as a result. Moreover, all participants have improved their knowledge of the ONE Record standard.

“They get experience of developing a product to specific parameters and feedback from their peers, so it is a great test environment,” says Mulder. “And as they have acquired relevant information and insight, it leads to new products and services or perhaps even a startup company. Many of the participants open source their work too, so others can download, improve, and design new tools. Hackathons always yield positive results.”

Moreover, Hackathons effectively build up a library of reference material for all those involved in the sector. Although IATA is active in developing standards, implementation is down to the individual players and Hackathons throw up a variety of means for achieving that.

ONE Record

The goal of ONE Record is to replace the many data standards used for transport documents with a single record for every shipment.

The ONE Record standard is available and ready to implement. It includes:

  • A data model specification using JSON-LD that facilitates data integration with existing and new data services.
  • An API specification that specifies the interface and interaction of the web Application Programming Interface that allows airlines and their partners to connect their system directly using best in class web technologies.
  • A security specification that uses an industrywide and federated trust network to manage identification and authentication of data sharing systems and ensures data privacy and confidentiality for all parties.

From 1 January 2026, every airline is required to have the ability to use the standard. It is hoped that the deadline will focus airline attention and investment, not to mention the rest of the supply chain.

Ultimately, ONE Record will facilitate an end-to-end digital logistics and transport supply chain where data is easily and transparently exchanged in a digital ecosystem of air cargo stakeholders, communities, and data platforms.

Other industry benefits include:

  • Data quality and control: Data is shared by a data owner who is in full control of data quality. Data stays at the source and the owner determines who may or may not access their data.
  • Plug and Play connectivity: ONE Record facilitates the direct connectivity between all the industry stakeholders through the use of web API. This will lead to new cooperative IT solutions and innovation.
  • Creating a digital future: ONE Record creates the foundation for true digital air cargo where airlines, their partners and service providers will be able to develop collaborative and automated digital services.
  • Welcoming a new generation: ONE Record provides a technology platform that is ready for a new generation of digital natives who will be leading the logistics and transport industry within a decade.

The next IATA One Record Hackathon will be held from 24–26 November 2023, in Doha, Qatar sponsored by Qatar Airways Cargo. 

 

Credit | iStock-1472124917

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