News
Japan International Freight Forwarders Association Inc. (JIFFA) approved a business plan for fiscal 2014 (April 2014-March 2015) at its annual general assembly on June 12. The business plan is made up of 17 projects, such as holding a workshop for new employees, promoting International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) activities and spreading the use of JIFFA transport documents.
JIFFA holds its annual workshop on the basis of the forwarding business. As more than half of attendees to the event are new employees of member companies, it will give a similar event in Tokyo for the first time exclusively for newly recruited employees. JIFFA will actively promoting FIATA activities to gather information in other countries and share it with member companies, enhance exchanges and interchanges with overseas organizations and upgrade cooperation and partnerships on researching logistics affairs and systems overseas. JIFFA will also encourage member companies to use JIFFA transport documents appropriately and more frequently, which include the Waybill terms and conditions, which were revised recently for the first time in 20 years, as well as the Multimodal Bill of Lading (MT B/L), the Waybill and the Forwarder’s Receipt (FCR).
“The combined volume of international multimodal cargo that JIFFA member handled last fiscal year increased 4.5% [year on year] to 97.68 million tons, holding a share of nearly 40% of the total volume of containerized shipments imported to and exported from Japan,” JIFFA Chairman Jiro Nakamura told the press after the general assembly. “I am sure the figure will increase further at a time when NVOCCs (non-vessel-operating common carriers) are required to play a more important role in line with the growth and diversification of logistics demand.” He indicated that the role of forwarders will become more important in the future.
Chairman Nakamura commented also on the accession in 2013 of JIFFA to the FIATA, an international body of freight forwarders association worldwide. Then, he revealed that JIFFA will aggressively participate in international projects through the FIATA. “We will exchange information more tightly with other countries and enhance our functions of sharing it with members,” he said. “We will also make efforts to have a stronger presence by promoting FIATA activities and make ourselves a global brand name.”
In fiscal 2013 alone, JIFFA was joined by a total of 35 new members—32 regular and three supporting members. The association is expected to consist of 470 companies and organizations, including 23 associate members (12 companies and 11 organizations) when welcoming a new member in July. Chairman Nakamura shared his thoughts on the growth of JIFFA’s membership. “I believe that the business contents and activities that JIFFA works on timely to address various business topics are highly rated as demand for NVOCC and forwarding services is growing in the international logistics market],” he said.
