Page 25 - ITLN May - June 2022 issue

many inefficiencies and challenges, which data will form the augmented ring for
would keep itself away from the potential this industry,” he said.
it has. One way to solve this is by looking Ashok Rajan, senior vice president &
into technological solutions. head – cargo & logistics business, IBS
“High dwell times, congested cargo Software, reports that these technologies
terminals, sub-optimal use of belly cargo are evolving at an extremely fast pace and
capacity, missing/damaged non-traceable the immediate trend that he can see is the
cargo, and manual processing are “democratization” of such technologies.
potential for AI and ML in the immediate “Traditionally, such cutting edge
future. Autonomous trucks/aircraft capabilities were only accessible
and AI-powered robots are a few of the to large businesses with massive
long-term future in India,” says Sabari resources. This scenario is quickly
Ramnath, industry expert of freight & changing and will continue to change in
logistics solutions, Unisys. High dwell times, the coming years, making these tools
He has no doubt that it will transform congested terminals, more and more accessible to any size of
the Indian air cargo industry, however, he sub-optimal use of business,” he said.
warns that the future depends on how our belly capacity, missing/ The business of air cargo demands
business leaders look through the AI/ML damaged non-traceable investments in aircraft, equipment, or
lenses to identify new business models other fixed assets which represent a
and new revenue sources and bring in cargo, and manual sizable expense. Thus airlines need to
critical efficiencies. processing are potential optimize their operations to reduce costly
for AI and ML. inefficiencies. Artificial intelligence (AI)
Sabari Ramnath and machine learning (ML) can enable
Unisys air cargo to increase visibility, make
improvements, be more efficient and do
informed decision-making.
Amar More, chief executive officer,
Kale Logistics Solutions, perceives Why should airlines invest more in
technology as the key that will unlock the AI and ML?
Indian air cargo industry’s growth rate. Among the varied uses of AI, More notes
“With the digital impetus coming that it has already proven to be useful,
from the government like Gati Shakti, “especially in making predictions.”
National Air Cargo Policy, airport He said that by analysing historic
digitization, and cargo modernization, flight information, managers have
technologies like AI, BL, blockchain, been able to optimally plan their

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