WebCargo has launched a new feature that allows forwarders to pay for their bookings directly on the platform, rather than via a third-party payment service.

The airfreight booking portal said the payment service is currently being piloted with airlines IAG Cargo and Qatar Cargo as well as around 30 freight forwarders.

"Freight and payments are foundations of global trade, but both introduce friction. Until today, forwarders booked cargo on one platform and paid on another, which is like shopping on Amazon but paying on Paypal," said 
Zvi Schreiber, chief executive of the Freightos Group, of which WebCargo is a part. "We aim to digitalise both on one platform, improving how forwarders and carriers interact and providing a better experience for importers and exporters."

The payment service is now being tested in the United States, Europe, and the United Kingdom, with hopes to expand to other parts of Asia soon.

"By unifying payments with bookings, we can provide more effective and efficient service to a growing base of customers worldwide, safely and securely," said Guillaume Halleux, chief cargo officer at Qatar Airways Cargo, adding that this technology opens new frontiers to airlines by allowing them to accept bookings from every freight forwarder in a given market without having to set up or maintain a stock of AWB.

For his part, Peter Roberts, head of distribution at IAG Cargo said the partnership is a "natural continuation" of IAG's work with Freightos and helps to significantly reduce the time it takes for a new customer to book with IAG Cargo safely and securely.

WebCargo said additional airlines are expected to join the pilot scheme soon.