Kareem Naouri, founder and CEO of Logistaas, breaks down the features of transport management systems that are integral to air freight forwarders retaining a competitive edge
Air freight forwarders are operating in a market defined by speed, complexity and rising customer expectations. Digital tools and system integrations are no longer optional; they are critical to staying competitive and profitable. The ability to access real-time data, automate documentation, meet compliance requirements and communicate transparently with shippers now sits at the core of operational performance.
Transportation management systems (TMS) have become the central hub for this, replacing outdated legacy software that has long contributed to fragmenting supply chains. A modern TMS should act as a single operating platform, connecting operators and their data in one place.
We founded Logistaas ten years ago after working in freight forwarding and experiencing the limitations of the systems available at the time. Many were either too basic to support real operational needs or so complex that implementation became a barrier. Logistaas was built to bridge the gap, improving upon the unsophisticated software providers, while allowing the flexibility of a smaller platform.
Its features and integrations were, and are, shaped around what forwarders need to operate and compete in an increasingly digital supply chain; our customer base, now spanning over 75 countries, is a testament to this.
Access to spot rates and bookings
Forwarders can no longer rely on manual rate searches or delayed responses from carriers. Instant pricing and direct booking capabilities allow teams to quote and secure capacity at speed, directly impacting competitiveness and customer satisfaction. TMS platforms with the ability to integrate with digital rate providers enable users to check live spot rates, confirm bookings, and manage them without switching systems. Through facilitating communication between different software, the need for manual data input is reduced almost entirely.
Through our integration with WebCargo, Logistaas gives users access to live rates and booking tools inside the platform, accommodating the management of bookings within the TMS, improving efficiency not only for forwarders, but also for their airline customers.
Simplifying e-AWB compliance
Electronic documentation is now a regulatory and commercial expectation across the air cargo industry. Freight forwarders need a TMS that connects to regional platforms handling electronic air waybills (e-AWB) and local handling requirements. Without these integrations, teams face significant delays and increased risk of non-compliance.
Logistaas connects to several major platforms, including Champ’s Traxon cargoHUB, Descartes for Belgian forwarders, Cargonaut in the Netherlands, and CCNhub in Singapore.
Traxon cargoHUB alone enables users to meet freight house list (FHL) and freight waybill (FWB) submission requirements for over a hundred carriers. They also offer the option to duplicate messages to local ground handling agents when needed (in airports such as Milan, Dubai, and Budapest) and all from one system
Real-time visibility and emissions tracking
Customers now expect accurate tracking information and proactive communication across every stage of a shipment. Real-time updates on milestones, flight routing, and estimated times of arrival reduce manual follow-up and allow forwarders to manage exceptions before they escalate.
By integrating with visibility platforms such as Wakeo, TMS providers can automatically synchronise data, update users with shipment statuses, and trigger notifications when events occur, including partial loadings, weight discrepancies, or changes in arrival times. Customers are then able to react accordingly.
Alongside visibility, environmental accountability is becoming a standard requirement from shippers and regulators. Integrations that support CO₂ emissions tracking enable forwarders to measure, report, and share emissions data without building standalone systems. This not only supports compliance with regional and international reporting standards but further strengthens transparency across the supply chain.
Automation capabilities
Reducing manual administration has a direct effect on accuracy and productivity. Automation in a TMS should cover document generation, job creation, tariff management, invoicing, and compliance workflows. It should also support consistency across the board by aligning processes with internal standard operating procedures (SOP).
Within Logistaas, users can generate and email master and house air waybills, shipment labels, notices, invoices, and several other documents automatically. Shipments can be created from quotations, and tariffs imported directly into jobs.
Communication with customers is supported via automated email updates and a digital portal. Recent additions, including courier shipment tracking and automated IATA CASS file reading, further reduce manual intervention and verify costs against expected charges, alerting users to discrepancies. With plans to launch our own Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool…
As artificial intelligence (Ai) becomes an essential component of modern software, we are launching our own Ai-powered tool in Q4 2025. We are starting with incorporating an AI optical character recognition tool that reads shipping documents, such as master and house air waybills, and automatically imports their data to shipments. We then plan to gradually integrate AI across modules to help users with reporting, compliance, and productivity.
Customer portals
We see more and more shippers expecting digital access to their booking and shipment information, without relying on email chains or phone calls. TMSs that extend visibility and communication to end customers strengthens loyalty and reduces unnecessary administrative pressure on operations teams.
We offer a white-labelled customer portal that forwarders can brand and configure. Through this interface, customers can manage enquiries, requests, bookings, shipments, invoices, and reports, all available in multiple languages. For users of the TMS, the portal creates a competitive advantage by aligning with the digital service standards emerging across the sector.
For air freight forwarders, competitiveness now depends on digital capability as much as operational know-how. I have seen this change happen first-hand, initially as a freight forwarder myself, and now as a software provider.
A TMS must integrate rates, compliance, visibility, automation and customer interaction to deliver real value, and providers that cover all of these areas are setting the benchmark.
Kareem Naouri is founder and CEO of cloud-based logistics TMS provider Logistaas
