Supply chain drivers across Africa could have access to free cargo security awareness training under a €1.3 million initiative launched by the Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA) EMEA to strengthen driver safety and improve supply chain resilience.
TAPA EMEA is making more than 55 000 online Driver Security Awareness Training courses available free of charge to its more than 1 100 member companies across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The association has not yet indicated how the courses will be allocated among members or how many places are expected to be taken up by African companies.
The self-paced training covers security awareness, transport security and the driver requirements contained in TAPA's Trucking Security Requirements (TSR) standard. Available in seven languages, the course also highlights cargo theft risks, criminal tactics used to target trucks and drivers, threats posed by illegal migration and smuggling, and practical measures drivers can take to improve their personal safety.
The programme forms part of a broader package of security initiatives that also includes expanding access to secure truck parking, supporting the launch of a new Certified Carrier Exchange for security-certified transport operators and providing a free Driver Security Guide in 17 languages.
Freight crime continued to pose a significant threat to road transport, said Thorsten Neumann, President and CEO of TAPA EMEA. TAPA's Intelligence System recorded more than 112 000 cargo crime incidents across 116 countries in Europe, the Middle East and Africa over the past two years, mostly targeting trucks and vans making last-mile deliveries. For the 5% of incidents where financial losses were reported, cargo theft exceeded €2.6 billion.
Driver shortages were compounding supply chain challenges, with around 500 000 professional driver positions currently unfilled across the European Union, Neumann said. The association warned that unless recruitment improved, supply chains would face increasing disruption.
