Griet Op de Beeck (ACB) on Stargate innovation for Cargo

Can you tell us about ACB’s role within the Stargate consortium?

ACB plays a key role in the Stargate consortium by coordinating and facilitating innovation projects within the BRUcargo community, focusing on sustainability and digitalisation to make cargo processes more efficient, paperless, and environmentally friendly. We work closely with our community members to test and implement new solutions that align with Stargate’s objectives. I truly believe in the power of our community; while many cargo airports could benefit from a dedicated structure, Stargate enables us to lead innovation, share best practices, and set an industry example.

What do you think Stargate can bring to the cargo world?

Stargate is an opportunity to accelerate the digital transformation of air cargo operations. By implementing paperless processes, we can reduce administrative burdens, improve data accuracy, and speed up the flow of goods. This enhances efficiency, reduces delays, and contributes to a more sustainable logistics chain by cutting unnecessary emissions and waste. Additionally, it helps raise sustainability awareness—something that is not yet embedded in the daily operations of many companies. By addressing this at a community level, we introduce sustainability step by step, making it a natural part of cargo operations. Stargate makes it possible to further expand our BRUcargo community and enhance collaboration between all partners.

What innovations are you driving from Air Cargo Belgium?

At ACB, we are leading several digital and sustainability-driven initiatives. These include:

• Digital Green Lane, is a project designed to streamline cargo handover processes using digital applications. Several apps have been developed to improve slot booking, freight management, and cargo acceptance. The project has already seen widespread adoption within the BRUcargo community.

• The e-CMR project provides a digital alternative for the legal transportation documents for trucking companies.

• The Road Feeder Application is aimed at improving transparency in external freight flows by allowing truckers to share their estimated time of arrival with ground handlers, reducing waiting times and improving visibility.

• Our RFID project automates the tallying process and registers important timestamps and location stamps.

• The POC CargoRun helps reduce CO₂ emissions and improves truck fill rates.

• IMA, our Inspection Management App tool simplifies the inspection process for perishable goods and provides real-time visibility of cargo inspections.We are also continuously exploring new ways to integrate sustainability and circularity across the BRUcargo community, as well as working together with fellow cargo airports to assist with the implementation of digitized solutions.

How does Digital Green Lane work?

The Digital Green Lane is a uniform standardised pick-up and delivery process between freight forwarders and ground handling agents, supported by the BRUcloud Landside Management applications. 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. The applications that make all this possible are the Slot Booking App, Freight Management App, Acceptance and Delivery App and Digital Desk App/kiosk.

What do you do with the data gathered on the platform?

The collected data provides valuable insights that enhance operational efficiency by optimising processes, reducing bottlenecks, and improving coordination amongst all cargo stakeholders. Additionally, these insights strengthen security at BRUcargo and enable predictive analytics to drive even greater operational optimisation.
The ultimate goal is to create a more connected and intelligent logistics ecosystem.

How do you get all cargo actors at BRU to share the same platform?

Trust and collaboration are key. We engage all stakeholders—airlines, forwarders, handling agents, customs, and tech providers—through working groups and pilot projects. By demonstrating the benefits of digitalisation, such as faster processing times and reduced costs, we encourage widespread adoption. ACB acts as a neutral facilitator, ensuring that all partners see the added value of a unified digital platform. With BAC as a key player in facilitating this platform and having the authority to make its use mandatory, we can ensure a structured and effective rollout.

What are the next steps for the cargo digitalisation initiatives?

Our next steps focus on further strengthening and expanding key digital initiatives within the BRUcargo community. We continue to refine our RFID project, ensuring it delivers its full potential in automating the tallying process and capturing timestamps. With IMA, we are improving the application by adding extra features. We are also focused on advancing the Road Feeder Services (RFS) integration into DGL, streamlining connectivity and efficiency for cross-border transport. Additionally, we aim to enhance circularity by using digital solutions to optimize resources, minimize waste, and create a more sustainable supply chain. Through these efforts, we are committed to making cargo operations more efficient, sustainable, and future-proof.

What Stargate project excites you the most for the future?

One of the most exciting aspects of Stargate for me is the opportunity to scale successful innovations across multiple airports. The work we are doing at BRUcargo—whether in digitalisation, sustainability, or process optimisation—can eventually (once operational in BRU) serve as a model for other cargo hubs. Seeing how these initiatives, together with our community work can transform both local and global air cargo operations is incredibly motivating.