Leading integrated aviation service provider minimizes processing time and enables

Worldwide, commercial airlines are estimated to carry over 65 million metric tons of freight in 2019, as per estimates by statista.com. This sheer quantum of cargo traffic necessitates the deployment of a robust cargo handling software that streamlines operations and optimizes operational efficiencies. Disparate legacy systems and siloed infrastructure have been traditionally the air cargo industry’s transformational challenges. The need of the hour is investment in technology to ensure smooth operations and a future-ready air cargo industry.

Managing the movement of cargo at airports is a tedious task. International Cargo handling is a complex job with diverse functions that are important to conduct seamless cargo movement. Airports across the world dealing with international cargo movement need to deploy airport cargo management systems that are designed to manage the complexities and intricacies involved in cargo operations.

Çelebi stepped into the aviation industry with the establishment of Çelebi Ground Handling in 1958 as Turkey’s first privately-owned ground handling services company. Today, it stands out as one of the most successful examples of integrated services in the Turkish civil aviation industry, offering the full range of services within the scope of ground handling at world-class quality. An esteemed member of:  IATA/IGHC (IATA Ground Handling Council), ASA (Airport Services Association), TIACA (International Air Cargo Association), TOSHID (Turkish Private Aviation Enterprises Association), EBAA (European Business Aviation Association), also a founding member of AVIANCE.

Çelebi started offering ground handling services in Delhi/India in 2010. Çelebi Ground Handling (ÇGH) had been awarded a contract by Delhi International Airport Private Ltd (DIAL), to develop, modernize, finance and operate the brown field cargo terminal for a period of twenty-five years.

Here’s an at-a-glance view of Celebi’s operations at Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) in India :

• 3,50,000 tons/year international cargo movement (Capacity –700,000 MT)
• Dedicated Centre of Perishable Cargo (66,000 MT annual capacity)
• Dedicated Pharma Logistics Center (72,000 MT annual capacity)
• 125,000 MT tons/year domestic cargo movement (Capacity – 300,000 MT)
• Express Terminal (Capacity – 100,000 MT)
• Total Handled – 5,50,000 MT (Delhi)

The old IT system at Celebi was setup by Airports Authority of India (AAI) a long time ago and hence the technology was outdated. The hardware components were also in scrap conditions. Being the old technology and system “Single time stamps” were maintained in system which were also bottlenecks for data analysis and new integrations for many processes.

Celebi chose Kale Logistics Solutions as a Technology Partner for their rich experience as an IT solution provider in Cargo Terminal Applications.

Moreover, GALAXY is the only software that caters to Indian Customs requirements and is established globally with huge experience in the Aviation industry.

Celebi had some specific expectations from the new system, such as:

• The application should automate the custodian processes and provide an automatic interface with Customs department for cargo clearance.
• It should also allow authorized stakeholders access to check cargo clearance status.
• It should automate the custodian functions, reduce paperwork and the time consumed in manual processes thereby lead to an increase in operational effectiveness and reduce delays in custodian activities.

GALAXY was the right fit because it was designed to meet all the success criteria for airports handling cargo as well as for independent ground handlers. It automated the operational processes and provided quick and comprehensive information on consignment status, cargo tracking and terminal operations to customers as well as the management.

Migrating from Legacy System to New System proved to be a challenge for Celebi. The specific challenges therein were –

• New Software and DIAL Web Portal Integration
• Third Party Integration TLX and ETV Weighing Scale, and
• Training more than 500 staffs on ground

The team mitigated these challenges by forming a dedicated project team until go-live. Celebi and Kale Logistics Solutions chose to automate or upload data as far as possible using Excel/Text format. And a training plan was created for the core team to address further training requirements.

• Operational automation
• Thorough visibility
• Regulatory compliance
• Third-party interfacing
• Reduced operational cost
• Quick ROI

Some of the tangible indicators of impact for Celebi, post the GALAXY implementation include – operational improvement, drop in revenue leakages, swifter processing times, better compliance and optimal paperless transactions.

For Celebi, this shift to the CargoCel system powered by GALAXY led to effective management, seamless status updates of the transactions and consignments. The new system integrated with airlines, Customs systems and DIAL Web portal. The invoicing for storage & handling charges are now calculated by the system automatically. And the periodic invoicing for cash and credit to customers / agents is automated in the GALAXY – CargoCel system.

(I) Think we moved from ‘fragile’ to ‘agile’.

From my perspective, the business benefitted from moving away from a functionally-rich but a system that evolved over several decades that eventually became very fragile for any enhancements, etc. to a modern and agile system. The business now enjoys the use of a modern cargo handling system that to a large extent standardized our business processes across all cargo terminals. Unlike our legacy system, the current system which we internally call ‘CargoCel – Cargo System of Celebi’ is a system that is very efficient and effective in managing our business, interfacing with all trade partners, management of resources and meeting regulatory compliances. The system opened an immense possibility of data availability for simple reports to data analytics for effective business decisions.

We are very proud of our association with Kale Logistics for development and implementation of CargoCel, not just in Delhi but across all Celebi cargo locations across our network.

-Ramesh Mamidala, CEO, Celebi Delhi Cargo Terminal Management India Pvt. Ltd.