DHAKA, Aug. 31 -- While screening cargo on a US-bound freighter departing from Yemen, investigators recently found a bomb encased in a toner cartridge. Although UK officials intercepted the device before it could detonate, the would-be act of violence caused a global uproar.
In addition to reinforcing the need for stringent security measures, the October 2010 incident also highlighted the vulnerability of airfreight to a terrorist attack. It's this latter point that has many aviation insiders advocating the universal implementation of 100 per cent cargo screening.
This practice is nothing new for passenger planes in the US Congressionally mandated in the 9/11 Act of 2007, the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was ordered to develop a way to screen all cargo carried on passenger aircraft by August 2010.
The industry hit the deadline, and in the year following its inception, the TSA has monitored all freight transported on domestic and international outbound passenger jets originating in the US. This has been accomplished through airline screening and the organisation's Certified Cargo Scree-ning Programme (CCSP).
BD must be ready
Apart from lack of modern cargo handling facility, the cargo complex at Hazrat Shah Jajal International Airport (HSJIA) in Dhaka, the main gateway to and from Bangladesh, is also suffering from shortage of critical equipment. The pallet build-up area is insufficient. There is no stack yard for container. There is no dedicated space for build up cargo.
The working condition is bad_ very bad indeed. There is acute shortage of space. The entire cargo complex is in a mess. Due to inadequate waiting space at Cargo Complex, before handing over to airlines, shipments are kept under open sky exposed to sun and rain. Sometimes, even that open space becomes insufficient.
Scanning of export cargo is another serious problem. The scanners now in use are small and not capable of scanning buildup cargo. So cargos are to be scanned before buildup and piece by piece. This is time consuming as well as hazardous. More often than not, cargos are released without scanning to save time. The company is happy to get US 3 cents per kilo.
Overall, there are problems, problems and problems. One problem is leading to another making the cargo operation through HSJIA difficult, troublesome and open to abuse of different kind. The condition in cargo complex has remained bad_ real bad in terms of security.
If immediate measures are not taken to plug-in the scope for security lapse, cargo handling through HSJIA, specially export to the USA, will be in serious trouble. That will be bad for the country.
It should be remembered that Biman Bangladesh Airlines Limited is trying to resume its operation to New York with delivery of two new B777-300ERs, by the end 2011. Bellyhold cargo will be very important element of the operation.
So, if effort to improve cargo security at HSJIA is not taken immediately, Biman is most likely to face trouble.
US bound cargo
It may be mentioned that, an integral part of the 9/11 Act, the CCSP seeks to expedite the screening process by allowing entities that have met rigorous standards inspect freight. According to the TSA, only airlines were previously authorised to screen bellyhold cargo.
Now, the TSA wants other nations to follow its lead. The TSA's proposed December 31 deadline for screening all US-bound cargo.
The TSA's Jim Fotenos wants to set the record straight: Despite industry rumblings, December 31 is a guideline - not a mandate. Fotenos says his organisation is also soliciting feedback from key industry personnel about the feasibility of this date. Fortunately, he asserts, the CCSP serves as a prototype for other nations to follow.
What's more, Fotenos says that all international carriers use the TSA's screening requirements, except countries that have programmes commensurate with the organisation's National Cargo Security Programme (NCSP).
TSA is working with international partners on their NCSPs to ensure a level of security equivalent to existing US air cargo security standards. This will help expedite legitimate commerce and trade throughout the global supply chain by eliminating the need for carriers to adhere to multiple security processes in a given country, Fotenos says.
Fotenos also points to the numerous security alliances the US has formed, including entering into the Quadrilateral Agreement with Australia, Canada and the European Union, and uniting with 190 other nations to adopt the International Civil Aviation Organisation's (ICAO) Decla-ration on Aviation Security.
The TSA also issued another directive in March, increasing surveillance on high-risk international cargo. Under the new mandate, freight forwarders and airlines are required to obtain additional information from shippers that lack established relationships with them.
Trade reactions
Michael Steen, Chairman of The International Air Cargo Association, says these regulations speak volumes about the TSA's push for tighter security. He also credits the CCSP with reducing bottlenecks in the cargo screening process. "Without this programme, I'm sure we would have experienced significant disruptions in August 2010 when the 100-percent deadline was imposed in the US," he says.
Steen still sees some room for concern. "As a strong supporter of supply-chain security practices, we'd like to see TSA recognise other countries' programmes or a CCSP-compatible programme in place in those countries that lack them," he says.
"It is hard to believe that only one country - France - has NCSP status with only a few others in the pipeline," Steen says. "We believe that significant progress can be made if the DHS creates a more efficient organisation for the evaluation of foreign country programmes into the NCSP." Because of this, Steen endorses greater investments into the programme, which he calls the "key linchpin in achieving 100 per cent inbound screening."
All of this begs the question: Does the US have the authority to impose such regulations? Experts have mixed opinions.
Far-reaching implications
Like Steen, Radiant Global Logistics CEO Bohn Crain praises the strides made by the TSA, but he raises some im-portant points. "The biggest challenge resides with TSA reviewing other countries' se-curity processes to determine the adequacy of their screening programs," he maintains.
Crain thinks the TSA lacks jurisdiction to regulate other nations and doesn't have the means to verify airfreight security abroad. Instead, he believes that the TSA should employ its NCSP strategy to recognise other nations' safety procedures.
Then there are the financial implications of 100 per cent screening. With an onslaught of challenges affecting the global economy, Crain worries that inspecting every piece of cargo - even those goods that would be considered low-risk - will cause delays in shipments. He fears that it might become such an inconvenience that shippers may consider other means of transportation. Published by HT Syndication with permission from The Bangladesh Monitor. For any query with respect to this article or any other content requirement, please contact Editor at [email protected]
