Driving Digital Innovation: Frankfurt Airport Launches the FRA-OS Importation Platform

Frankfurt among the first major European cargo hubs to fully comply with the EU customs rules for consolidated import shipments – New platform for fast, efficient, and transparent handling – FRA-OS a fundamental building block for digitalizing the cargo business

The digital “FRA-OS/Import” platform for exchanging cargo data is now being launched at Frankfurt Airport. This makes Frankfurt one of the first major European cargo hubs to offer a comprehensive, customs-compliant solution for importing consolidated shipments. Fraport, the airport’s operator, has developed the platform together with DAKOSY AG and numerous other partners in the air cargo community. It constitutes yet another important milestone in digitalizing the cargo business at Frankfurt Airport.

The first step was for the customs authorities to receive access to this innovative platform, and now the system is fully operational. Following intensive preparations, the first important players in the supply chain have been successfully integrated. They include cargo handling agents and freight forwarders.

Max Philipp Conrady, VP Cargo Development at Fraport, said: “The FRA-OS/Import platform is the central instrument for meeting the relevant customs requirements while also enabling more efficient processes for importing goods. With this USP, we’re now offering our on-site cargo partners a new level of transparency for their shipments. At the same time, they benefit from the ability to comply with EU regulations much more efficiently.”

The requirements of the European customs code for consolidated import shipments are challenging. Every individual consignment has to be reported to customs, which is both time-consuming and personnel-intensive. And not all of the required information is always directly available. In addition, it’s essential for the customs service to have an overview of the locations of individual consignments and know how long it will take for them to be delivered.

The digital FRA-OS/Import platform meets this challenge: now not only cargo handling agents but also forwarders can report their shipments to the customs warehouses throughout the customs zone at Frankfurt Airport. This also applies to partial shipments, a large number of which are currently handled. The effect will be to increase capacity while speeding up handling and dispatch.

Because all of the parties involved in the process enter the required information in the same platform, it constitutes a high-quality, central, consolidated, database that all players can access. The new importation platform also includes a track-and-trace function that provides clear information on the current locations of shipments to the customs office and other participating parties. The overall effect is to standardize, simplify, and accelerate airside and landside importation processes.

”The importance of airfreight is increasing worldwide,” emphasized Conrady. “At Frankfurt Airport we’re optimally prepared for this trend, since we consistently rely on digital solutions. Together with our partners in the airfreight community at Frankfurt, we’re driving the dynamic cargo business forward with intensive sharing and innovative technology.”

Alongside Fraport and DAKOSY AG, the development, and implementation of this innovative solution have been driven by the responsible customs office, the association of forwarders and logistics companies in the German states of Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate (SLV), the German association of air cargo handlers (VACAD), and other members of the cargo community. FRA-OS is technically integrated in the existing FAIR@Link platform developed by the DAKOSY software company. More cargo handlers and forwarders are also getting ready to integrate FRA-OS/Import in their processes in the near future.

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