... and the biggest question may be, will government agencies be the primary obstacle in getting it accomplished? At least that’s the question in my mind after speaking with Judy Davis, co-founder of ComSec International LLC, an independent provider of cargo screening services and consultation.
ComSec this week began advising shippers, carriers, freight forwarders, and other companies involved in supply chain management to begin planning for new federal air cargo screening requirements. Under the Markey bill, according to ComSec, DHS is being directed to address three key areas of dedicated air cargo shipping:
Creation of a set of regulations for screening 100 percent of cargo transported on all-cargo aircraft within three years, achieving 50 percent of all cargo being screened within 18 months of passage of the legislation;
Establishment of a system for the regular inspection of shipping facilities and associated security procedures for the handling of air cargo transported on all-cargo planes to ensure that appropriate security controls, systems, and protocols are being used;
Creation of arrangements with government authorities of foreign countries ensuring that inspections are conducted on a regular basis at shipping facilities for cargo being transported by air to the United States.
According to Davis, the initial 18-month deadline could be an issue, primarily due to the fact that the technology to accomplish the feat, which she says is now available, may not be approved by federal agencies. “It does put everyone on a more level playing field,” she says. “It won’t allow an in-road of any kind to undermine the safety of the supply chain.”
Of course, then there’s the issue of funding, and Davis cautions that this could be yet another “unfunded mandate” from the federal government. Will the private sector be expected to foot the bill? Will a new “security fee” (or “per package fee”) be implemented?
As Davis points out, U.S. commerce has become very much a just-in-time driven business and disruptions can be quite costly. That said, she also expresses a concern that the primary focus remains on aviation while rail and ground transport continue to be secondary considerations. Should/when the terrorists seek a new path toward our destruction, what will be the response?
In August the airlines were expected to comply with a requirement that all cargo on passenger flights be screened. TSA says that deadline was met, although there are some in industry who question that assessment. Davis points out that to meet the requirement some of that belly cargo was simply transferred to all-cargo airlines or ground transportation – a reshuffling of the supply chain.
There’s no doubt TSA has its challenges with the latest threat. The agency was without a leader for too long. It has one now in Administrator John Pistole, who has taken the helm and is the person behind the brouhaha on full-body scanners and pat-downs. Few saw that coming.
It will be interesting to see how U.S. industry reacts to the new legislation, should it pass.
Thanks for reading. jfi