Scanning concerns clarified as Part 108 implementation speeds ahead

THE ACQUISITION of X-ray scanning equipment is not a mandatory requirement of Part 108 – the new security regulations governing the movement of all air cargo, which the SA Civil Aviation Authority (Sacaa) intends implementing from January 30 next year. The basic intention of Part 108 is that only “known cargo” from a “regulated agent” and/or “known consignor” can be loaded on to aircraft. “Unknown cargo” must be checked and cleared before being loaded. But, while X-ray and other technical equipment are suggested as checking measures, their acquisition is not compulsory under the new rules. “They are ONE of the security controls that may be applied to air cargo when converting unknown to known cargo or performing random checks,” said Bob Garbett, MD of Professional Risk & Asset Management, and president of the Business Aviation Association of Southern Africa (Baasa). “It is therefore not necessary to purchase X-ray or other technical equipment.” However, for those wishing to purchase X-ray equipment, Garbett told FTW that Sacaa had given an undertaking at the recent civil aviation regulations committee (CARcom) meeting that the minimum technical standards of such equipment would now be included in the Part 108 technical standards guidelines. This could be a relief for a number of cargo operators, particularly those in the small and medium sized bracket, who have expressed their problems at motivating a major capital investment in such monitoring equipment. Colin Baldwin, GM of Swissport Cargo Services, outlined the debate his company was having on the issue. The basic question that had to be answered, he told FTW, was how to justify a further multimillion rand investment in scanning equipment, added to the X-ray equipment it already had. As part of the answer, Swissport has already had Sacaa briefing senior staff on the path to Part 108. “Depending on their advice, we will decide whether it is financiallyviable to purchase more X-ray equipment.” Complicating the question is whether the major multi-national companies using Swissport will regulate themselves under Part 108. “If they do,” Baldwin told FTW, “over 80% of our outgoing freight will be covered.” That only leaves a small volume of other cargo to get a return on a major capital investment. However, that cost debate aside, the progress towards the implementation date of Part 108 is moving along steadily, according to Garbett. “At the CARcom meeting the final amendments to the regulations were completed,” he said. “These included comments received, and items in dispute between the proposers. “These items will now be incorporated into the regulations which were originally published on April 26, 2007.” The technical standards – again incorporating various amendments agreed between the proposers and Sacaa – are almost finalised. “These standards will be published on the Sacaa website for a 30-day period for comment,” said Garbett. “This will occur shortly.”