Digital Transition Begins for Air Cargo Customs Procedures

The Air Cargo Customs Declaration System (HGBS), developed by the Ministry of Trade, has been implemented at all airports with international flight traffic as of May 4, 2026. With the introduction of the new system, declaration procedures related to air cargo transportation have been fully transitioned to a digital environment.

Thanks to HGBS, air cargo declaration forms and related documents are no longer submitted physically but are transmitted electronically to customs authorities. As a result, all processes have been transformed into an end-to-end digital structure.

Time and Cost Advantages with a Paperless Process

With the new implementation, customs procedures are shifting to a paperless system while aiming to reduce manual workload and ensure standardization across operations. Through digitalization, the following benefits are expected:

• shorter processing times
• reduced operational costs
• improved data security and quality

This transformation represents faster and more efficient customs processes for both public institutions and private sector stakeholders.

Annual Savings of 10 Million Pages of Paper

The implementation of the system is also expected to bring significant environmental benefits. Based on international flight data from 2025, it is estimated that the HGBS will save approximately 10 million pages of paper annually.

This development is considered an important step not only in increasing operational efficiency but also in contributing to sustainability goals.

Strengthening the Vision of Digital Customs

As part of its digital transformation efforts, the Ministry of Trade continues to support Türkiye’s export-oriented growth str​ategy by accelerating customs processes.

Source: ticaret.gov.tr