Ethiopian Cargo & Logistics Services is preparing to join the WebCargo by Freightos digital booking platform at the end of March, marking another step in the accelerating digitalisation of the air freight industry.
The integration will make capacity across Ethiopian Cargo’s vast network digitally accessible to freight forwarders worldwide. Headquartered in Addis Ababa, the airline operates the largest cargo network in Africa, serving more than 145 destinations through a mix of dedicated freighter aircraft and passenger belly capacity.
Through the WebCargo platform, freight agents will be able to search for available capacity, obtain instant digital quotes and complete bookings within seconds. The system also supports digital payments and interline capabilities, significantly reducing the time traditionally required to arrange air cargo shipments.
Once Ethiopian Cargo is fully integrated into the platform, forwarders will be able to book space from Ethiopia to major markets including Europe, the United States, China, India, Kenya and South Africa.
Freightos chief financial officer and interim chief executive Pablo Pinillos said the partnership reflects the growing need for speed and reliability in a volatile global trade environment.
He noted that freight forwarders increasingly require practical digital tools to manage shipments as capacity, routes and pricing constantly shift. According to Pinillos, the integration will reduce friction in cargo booking while giving forwarders greater flexibility and fewer manual processes.
For Ethiopian Cargo, the move is part of a broader digital transformation strategy.
Managing director Dereje Derero said the airline has been actively integrating digital booking and payment solutions to improve service efficiency for customers. The partnership with Freightos will allow the airline to offer forwarders worldwide access to digital rates, faster quoting and more reliable booking processes.
Derero added that the collaboration further strengthens Ethiopian Cargo’s position as Africa’s leading cargo carrier.
The announcement also follows new analysis released by Freightos, which examined more than 1.5 million digital cargo bookings placed through its platform between 2021 and 2026.
According to the company, airlines initially focused on expanding the amount of capacity available digitally before shifting toward optimizing digital offerings across their most important trade lanes. This process has also helped improve operational performance and service levels for freight forwarders.
