ULD management service provider Jettainer and the University of Cologne have launched a live test of a management software which they jointly developed.

According to Jettainer, the software is able to provide the user with live suggestions and assistance, such as alternative routes and scheduling scenarios. It will also become more intelligent over time.

“We want to provide our controllers with the best possible support for their work,” said Carsten Hernig, managing director of Jettainer GmbH, at the IATA World Cargo Symposium in Berlin. “To a certain extent, the management processes form the core element of our work. We’re deliberately including elaborate innovations here, because any improvements, which we can achieve in this area, benefit both us and our customers directly.”

Several major airlines are involved in the test. According to Jettainer, other information such as weather data,  holiday periods and events will be incorporated into the system in the future, enabling it to predict changes in demand for ULDs. This will help to control capacity.

Six research staff at the university and eight Jettainer employees are working on the project, which has been in development since 2013. A decision about the way forward will be made at the end of 2016, after the conclusion of the test, according to Jettainer.