Shanghai Pudong International Airport Cargo Terminal (PACTL) and its subsidiary PACTL WEST have become the first mainland Chinese air cargo company to receive Cargo iQ certification. Both facilities have passed the audit process and become the first air cargo terminal operator in mainland China to gain such industry recognition.

Cargo iQ is a global industry initiative sponsored by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to harmonise quality standards and performance measurement across the air cargo supply chain. Its framework defines common shipment milestones and allows operators to track every step of the process, seeking to improve transparency, data accuracy and operational efficiency.

PACTL and PACTL WEST have been certified, confirming the integration of the Cargo iQ quality requirements into their ground handling activities. It also acknowledges the company’s efforts to improve visibility of shipments, strengthen performance monitoring and raise service standards with more systematic, data-driven management.

The development is part of PACTL’s wider strategy to boost operational excellence through technology and innovation. The company has worked closely with IATA to integrate Cargo iQ requirements into its daily operations and has created a database to analyze operational data and monitor performance.

These developments add to a number of digital initiatives already in progress across the organisation. Among them are Easy Cargo 2.0, the Hermes 5 upgrade and ONE Record pilot projects, aiming to enhance data connectivity, enable information exchange and speed up digital transformation of cargo handling processes.

“This certification is a demonstration of the company’s commitment to maintain stable operational processes, to act based on data and to work towards continuous improvement,” said Carsten Hernig, Deputy General Manager at PACTL. He also praised the collective efforts of staff at PACTL and PACTL WEST, describing the achievement as a platform for future progress in operational transparency and quality of service to airline customers and logistics partners.

Marie Seco-Köppen, Executive Director of Cargo iQ, also congratulated PACTL for completing the implementation process in a quick and rigorous manner. The achievement was driven by the company’s leadership and its commitment to quality standards and operational excellence in ground handling, she said.

Seco-Köppen also pointed out PACTL’s active participation in the Cargo iQ initiative, citing the need for cooperation among industry players. Such collaboration, she said, leads to continuous improvements and brings regional operational perspectives to the development of international standards.

The certification ceremony was attended by IATA’s Marie Seco-Köppen, Executive Director of Cargo iQ; Simon Schley, Senior Business Process Analyst at PACTL; Laura Rodriguez, Senior Manager for Member Implementation & Quality at Cargo iQ; and Megha Palkar, Manager for Member Operations at Cargo iQ.

Looking ahead, PACTL will continue to strengthen its quality management framework through regular performance monitoring, ongoing digital innovation and strengthened collaboration with industry stakeholders. The aim is to convert these efforts into enduring enhancements across its entire cargo handling operations.