Focus on training as compliance demands take centre stage

African air cargo supply chains

are increasingly vulnerable

to criminal attack and the

industry has stepped up

security and training to tackle

the threat.

David Alexander, general

manager at Professional

Aviation Services, an SA Civil

Aviation Authority and Iataauthorised

training centre

providing dangerous goods,

air cargo security, human

factors cargo

screening

and cargo

management

training,

said the

company had

experienced

increasing

demand,

growing

turnover

by 10%, as

companies

focused on training over the

past year.

“We anticipate growing

demand for our services in

2016 in light of the increased

requirement for compliance

with AVSEC and air cargo

security compliance. This has

been driven by the increasing

threat of acts of interference

with civil aviation and the

deteriorating political climate

in various countries,” he said.

“The world, and Africa

in particular, are becoming

more vulnerable. Africa is

perceived as being a soft target

for attack on civil aviation for

political ends. The air cargo

supply chain in particular is an

attractive target,” he said.

“Security lapses happen

when poor practices, below

par training, poor personnel

motivation and poor

management

combine.

Initial security

implementation

is difficult and

requires diligent

maintenance

of standards,”

Alexander said.

He added that

professionals

in the industry

were also

actively involved

in ensuring service providers

conducting security and cargo

screening remained compliant

and clients had engaged his

company to conduct audits

as a quality control measure.

He advised that companies

should continue to invest in the

eCSD and eWaybill to improve

security and supply chain

efficiency.

He stressed that the

company focused on preparing

clients for the European

Union ACC3, RA3 and KC3

validation, which were now

required of all supply chain

participants in countries not on

the EU’s “Green List”.

He added that his company

had been appointed training

provider to several major

security companies and ground

handling organisations and

that it had established a new

training centre, complete with

a functional X-ray machine, to

enable practical training.

“We completed over 1000

training interventions in four

months for a major courier

company in Johannesburg,

Durban, Cape Town, Pretoria

and Port Elizabeth. We are

also developing eLearning

programmes for security

awareness, lithium batteries

and induction programmes to

complement our existing Iata

Dangerous Goods Awareness

online programmes,” he said.

INSERT & CAPTION

New training centre,

with a functional X-ray

machine, enables

practical training.

– David Alexander