‘Compliance makes moral and business sense’

It is up to every single entity involved in air cargo to encourage the ‘Integrated Known Cargo’ process because failure to do so will result in bottlenecks, in the view of Professional Risk & Asset Management MD Bob Garbett. “There is no need to apply any security controls or security measures to ‘known cargo’ (except for the random 10% check performed by forwarding agents who are regulated), says Garbett, “and therefore the known cargo should be accepted by airlines without further security.” But Garbett says certain airlines and airline handling agents choose to screen every item of cargo whether ‘known’ or ‘unknown’, which he points out is a potential security breach in its concept and a wasteful practice. “If there were an incident involving cargo from a particular consignor or forwarding agent who was not accredited or regulated, it is a foregone conclusion that that consignor or forwarding agent or both would be subject to massive claims, liability and other claims without the protection of the security blanket that is provided by compliance with the international norm of Part 108.” His challenge to the industry is simple. “Why wait for an incident to cause you damage or probably close you down? Why also not consider the moral implications of avoiding compliance with laws that are there to protect all of us? Your compliance could save lives.”