A number of air cargo companies at Brussels Airport have today joined up to the facility's digital slot booking initiative which offers completely paperless processes for cargo pick up and drop off.

In total, 12 companies are now signed up to the Digital Green Lane initiative, including eight freight forwarders and four ground handling agents representing 75% of freight volumes at the airport.

The initiative brings together the various apps – such as truck slot booking and documentation products – developed by cargo community software firm Nallian for the BRUcargo community to ensure that all processes at the airport for cargo pick-up and drop-off are entirely paperless.

While companies have been able to achieve paperless operations by using the apps of their own accord, the scheme mandates their use in order for services to be classified as a Digital Green Lane.

This means that all freight is being picked up or dropped off at a registered time slot, all freight information is shared digitally throughout the process and all actions during the pick-up and drop off process are registered by the driver on a mobile device.

"By making use of these digital applications, all partners involved will be able to avoid waiting lines and optimise their capacity- and resource planning," the airport said. "The users of the Digital Green Lane applications will not only be working more efficient and paperless, it also gives them a priority service when picking up or delivering freight."

The companies that have joined the scheme are: APA, BDP International, DHL Global Forwarding, DSV, Expeditors, Geodis, Kuehne + Nagel, Nippon Express, Aviapartner, dnata, Swissport and WFS.