A new information portal, EthicalCargo.net, was put online, on April 20th, at the service of humanitarian and military organizations. The goal of this new internet clearinghouse is to reduce the use of air cargo companies involved in destabilizing commodity flows and arms trafficking in humanitarian aid logistics and the shipment of military equipment. Indeed, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), one of the instigators of the website, stresses that one of the current problems the “demand” of transport services faces relates to the lack of access to information on these companies and tools to interpret them. As a result, at least 90% of air cargo carriers named in UN Security Council and other arms trafficking-related reports had already been hired by UN agencies, government departments, NGO and private contractors.

The website targets a double public: the “demand” of transport services and air cargo companies. It provides various online services, training schemes, resources and tools in order to increase the awareness of humanitarian and military organizations on the issue of destabilizing commodity flows and to help companies to make their practices more ethical. By improving the mutual understanding between humanitarian and military organizations and air cargo companies, this new tool can improve the access and sharing of information in order to avoid an imprudent use of certain cargo companies with doubtful activities for the transportation of humanitarian aid.