Air cargo: Shippers support new security initiatives

Patrick Burnson, Executive Editor -- Logistics Management, 4/14/2008

WASHINGTON—Amid news of pending airline mergers and further Federal Aviation Administration crackdowns on carrier safety violations, shippers have one reason to breathe a sigh of relief. Air cargo security is being screened rather than “inspected.”

Spokesmen for the Air Transport Association of America (ATA), the industry trade organization representing the leading U.S. airlines, told LM that it fully supports the measures now in place by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

“We are delighted that the TSA is moving ahead on screening cargo rather than inspecting it,” said David Castelveter, ATA communications vice president. “We had made our case sometime ago against forcing shippers to reconfigure cargo to meet the earlier demands.”

Nonetheless, some members of Congress have been using the mainstream media lately to suggest that not enough is being done to protect “combi” aircraft (i.e. passenger/cargo) from terrorist attack.

Shippers were told last year that the TSA would require them to provide “personal information and data on their transportation service providers." A refusal would result in an immediate inspection.

“Because goods move through the supply chain in a number of different configurations—

including palletized and shrink-wrapped cargo—it isn’t practical, or even possible to run it through x-rays at every airport,” said Castelveter.

Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is responding to recent negative news reports by restating that a “known shipper” rule will soon be introduced that will add another layer of security.