IATA license marks a milestone for a. hartrodt Ecuador
Managing Director Shirley Secaira intends to gradually expand air freight business.
The Ecuadorian branch of a. hartrodt was recently accredited as an IATA agent by the International Air Transport Association. This allows the freight forwarder to directly access a network of airlines in the South American country. “IATA certification represents an important milestone for us in opening up new customer segments for general cargo,” says Shirley Secaira, Managing Director of a. hartrodt Ecuador in Quito. According to her, air freight is “increasingly becoming an important pillar of our service portfolio.” The team can now offer even more competitive and flexible solutions.
Core competence: sea freight imports and exports
Since 2018, a. hartrodt Ecuador has been active in the market, with its core competence in sea freight. In the import sector, trade routes from Europe (Germany, Italy, Spain), the U.S., and China play an important role. The regional network in Latin America has been successfully expanded: “We have developed competitive solutions for Peru and Colombia,” says Shirley Secaira. The opening of the office at the Port of Guayaquil two years ago has strengthened sea freight exports.
Reliable product for time-sensitive shipments
As IATA agent, a. hartrodt Ecuador improves operational control of air freight and transit times. Shirley Secaira cites more competitive pricing and shipment visibility through reliable tracking and tracing systems as further concrete benefits for customers. “Our focus is on building a reliable product for time-sensitive shipments,” she explains, outlining the strategy for a more diversified offering. Customers benefit from high service quality and fast response times. In addition to air freight handling, the services also include documentation – such as the air waybill (AWB) – packaging, and customs clearance.
Shirley Secaira plans to “gradually grow” a. hartrodt Ecuador’s air freight division by “developing new trade lanes”. At the same time, however, she emphasizes that “sea freight remains the dominant revenue driver for our business”.