Tentative approval for scheduled airline services from 10 U.S. cities to Cuba may have implications for air cargo movement between the two countries.

Radio frequency identification (RFID) is hardly a cutting-edge technology. The system of scanning and identifying objects through the use of radio waves has roots that reach back to World War II. Since then, it's been used in countless tracking systems to monitor the movement of trucks and goods.

Regulations and protectionist trade policies are killing small business, according to Alibaba Group Executive Chairman Jack Ma, who has called for a removal of trade policies that hinder global commerce.

Although a new study by Google and Singapore's sovereign wealth fund Temasek projects the Southeast Asian e-commerce market to reach $200bn by 2025, the region's air cargo capabilities remain underdeveloped, according to Cainiao, the logistics unit of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba.

Two of the world's top three international cargo carriers have joined forces.