SriLankan Cargo commissions SkyChain

SriLankan Cargo has enhanced the level of customer convenience with the commissioning of the new-age freight handling and tracking system SkyChain. SkyChain, the latest cargo management system from Mercator of Dubai, went live recently replacing the SITA FASTIV system which was used by SriLankan since 2001. SriLankan’s Head of Worldwide Sales, Mohamed Fazeel, said: “SkyChain is a web-based system that allows customers to monitor the progress of their consignments around the world from wherever there is Internet accessibility.

It also provides on-line booking services for registered customers of SriLankan Cargo. This will lead to faster processing times at our cargo acceptance and delivery counters.”

Customers can also use SkyChain over the Internet to check schedules and space availability, make bookings on-line, submit and print airway bills, communicate with key people, update status and track each consignment through every stage of its journey. Manager Cargo Operations, Janaka Munasinghe, said: “SkyChain has already proven to be a user-friendly system which has significantly simplified our cargo operations, and has already achieved results in greater customer convenience.”

The cargo arm of SriLankan Airlines is expecting a significant expansion in business following the dawn of peace in Sri Lanka. SriLankan Cargo is also the handling agent for all other airlines that operate to Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA). SriLankan Cargo has positioned Colombo as the ‘Hub in the Ocean’ with rapid and convenient access between India and the world - Europe and the Middle East to the west, connecting the Subcontinent, South East Asiaand the Far East. SkyChain is an integral part of SriLankan Cargo’s many initiatives to become the best supply chain provider in the region. These include warehouse automation and the use of hand-held barcode scanners for faster tracking and handling of cargo.

SkyChain also significantly advances SriLankan’s efforts to move towards a paperless working environment by minimising documentation. It is also fully integrated with other systems used by SriLankan Airlines. SriLankan Cargo is a full-service operation that handles all types of cargo, including general cargo, express cargo, courier items, dangerous goods, live animals, perishables, valuables, and vulnerable items. It has a full range of freezer and cool rooms at the BIA Cargo Centre that is capable of handling sensitive cargo that requires storage at any temperature.