For decades, international freight forwarding has depended on documents moving almost as much as the cargo itself. Commercial invoices, packing lists, bills of lading, air waybills, customs declarations and delivery orders all carry information that must reach the right people at the right time. Yet the same details are often entered into multiple systems, checked manually and sent back and forth by email. Digitalisation in freight forwarding is changing this model. The next phase is not simply about scanning documents or replacing paper forms with PDFs. It is about turning shipment information into structured, accessible data that different parties can exchange and use throughout the supply chain.
This shift matters because a shipment rarely involves just two companies. A typical international movement can bring together exporters, importers, freight forwarders, shipping lines, airlines, customs brokers, ports, terminals, warehouses, transport operators and government agencies. When each participant works with separate systems and document formats, even a small discrepancy can create extra work. The real opportunity lies in connecting these processes.
From digital documents to connected cargo data
The logistics industry has already made considerable progress in moving away from paper. Electronic booking platforms, transport management systems, online tracking portals and electronic document exchange are now part of everyday operations for many companies. Air cargo offers a useful example. IATA’s e-freight programme aims to establish an end-to-end paperless process by digitising customs, transport, commercial and special cargo documents. The electronic air waybill (e-AWB), in particular, removes the requirement for a paper air waybill under the relevant IATA framework.
But there is an important distinction between a digital document and digital data. A scanned invoice is easier to store and send than a paper invoice, but its contents may still need to be read, checked and manually entered into another system. A structured digital record, on the other hand, can allow relevant information to be processed and shared between compatible systems. That is where digital cargo documentation becomes more valuable. Instead of treating every document as a separate file, businesses can work towards a more consistent flow of shipment information, reducing repeated data entry and making it easier to identify missing or conflicting details.
Why digitalisation in freight forwarding needs to go beyond software
Buying new software is not, by itself, a digital transformation strategy. A freight forwarder may have a modern transport management system and still depend on spreadsheets, email attachments and manual updates to coordinate everyday shipments. The challenge is often fragmentation. Different partners use different platforms, data fields may not match, and information entered at one stage may not automatically reach the next participant. A forwarder might receive a booking request through one channel, enter the details into an internal system, send instructions to a carrier through another platform and then update the customer separately. This creates several pressure points:
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Repeated data entry: The same shipment details may be entered into multiple systems, increasing the chance of errors.
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Limited visibility: Tracking information can be spread across carrier portals, emails and internal records.
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Document discrepancies: Differences between invoices, packing lists, declarations and transport documents can require manual investigation.
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Slower exception handling: Teams may spend time collecting updates from different parties before they can explain a delay or resolve a problem.
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Difficult scaling: As shipment volumes and partner networks grow, manual coordination becomes harder to manage.
The OECD’s 2025 paper on the digitalisation of trade documents and processes highlights that global trade remains heavily dependent on paper-based processes. It also identifies technical interoperability and cooperation between border agencies as important conditions for successful digital trade. For freight forwarders, the lesson is clear: digital tools deliver greater value when they connect processes rather than simply move existing paperwork onto a screen.
The standards shaping the next phase
A connected logistics ecosystem needs more than individual companies adopting their own technology. It also needs common standards that allow systems to exchange information consistently. In air cargo, one important development is IATA ONE Record. From 1 January 2026, ONE Record became IATA’s preferred standard for data sharing among air cargo stakeholders. It uses a common data model and secure web APIs to enable shipment information to be exchanged between authorised participants. Unlike a single central database, the model allows data owners to retain control over their information and determine who can access it.
The broader direction is also visible in cross-border trade. The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) supports the Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-Border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific. The agreement aims to accelerate digital trade through capacity building, pilot projects, harmonisation and mutual recognition of paperless trade systems. For freight forwarders, these developments point towards a future in which data needs to travel across organisational and national boundaries, not remain trapped in separate platforms.
How freight forwarders can prepare
The transition does not require every company to replace its entire technology infrastructure at once. A practical approach is to identify where information gets delayed, duplicated or lost, then improve those processes in stages.
1. Map the information journey
Start with a shipment and follow its data from the initial customer enquiry to final delivery. Identify which details are collected, where they are entered, who receives them and where they are re-entered. This exercise often reveals opportunities to simplify processes before investing in new technology.
2. Improve data quality at the source
Digital systems are only as useful as the information they receive. Incomplete cargo descriptions, inconsistent addresses, incorrect weights or mismatched shipment references can create problems across several stages of a movement. Establish clear procedures for collecting and validating information at the booking stage.
3. Review existing systems and integration options
Assess whether the company’s transport management system, customer portal, accounting software and partner platforms can exchange information. Ask technology providers about API connectivity, standard data formats, security arrangements and integration with carrier systems. The objective should be to reduce disconnected workflows, not add another platform that employees must update manually.
4. Prioritise useful digital documents
Review the documents most frequently handled by the business. Depending on the modes, trade lanes and regulatory requirements involved, this may include e-AWBs, electronic customs submissions and other digital cargo documentation. Adoption should be coordinated with the relevant carriers, customers, authorities and partners; a document cannot become fully paperless simply because one party has digitised its own copy.
5. Set clear data access and security rules
Shipment information can contain commercially sensitive details. Companies need to understand who can access particular records, how information is shared, how long it is retained and what happens when access is no longer required. Digitalisation should improve information flow without weakening confidentiality or control.
6. Train teams and involve partners
Employees need to understand not only how to use new systems but why processes are changing. Involve operations, documentation, customer service and compliance teams early. Equally important, discuss digital readiness with overseas agents, carriers and other partners. A connected process depends on participation across the network.
The human role in a more digital supply chain
Automation can help validate information, flag missing fields, transfer data between systems and generate routine updates. Data analytics can also help companies examine shipment performance, identify recurring delays and make better operational decisions. Artificial intelligence may extend these capabilities, particularly in document-intensive processes. However, it depends on reliable data, suitable system integration and human oversight. ESCAP’s 2026 report on AI in trade facilitation identifies data readiness, skills, infrastructure and governance as important factors in successful adoption.
This is why digitalisation in freight forwarding should not be seen as an effort to remove people from logistics. Freight forwarders still need to interpret regulations, coordinate complex movements, manage exceptions and maintain relationships with customers and partners. Better digital processes can give their teams more time to focus on those responsibilities instead of repeatedly chasing documents and updating records.
Preparing for a connected future
The move from paperwork to digital cargo data will not happen at the same pace in every country, trade lane or mode of transport. Regulatory requirements differ, technology capabilities vary and smaller businesses may face financial or operational barriers to adoption. Nevertheless, the direction is unmistakable. As standards mature and more participants connect their systems, the ability to exchange accurate information will become an increasingly important part of freight forwarding.
For forwarders, preparation starts with the basics: cleaner data, better-connected systems, clear security practices and stronger cooperation with partners. Digitalisation in freight forwarding is not simply a technology upgrade. It is a change in how shipment information is collected, managed and shared. Companies that begin strengthening these foundations now will be better prepared for a logistics environment where reliable cargo data is as important as the physical movement of goods.
One further consideration is that digitalisation in freight forwarding should be measured by operational improvements, not by the number of digital tools a company adopts. Fewer manual corrections, faster document processing and more reliable shipment updates are more meaningful indicators of progress than simply having another platform in place.
