Transit launches awareness drive on airfreight security issues

There is a greater chance of an accident or incident occurring due to the mismanagement of the handling of dangerous goods than by an explosive device being loaded onto an aircraft, according to Doug Smit, MD of Transit Air Cargo Security Solutions. “There are many controversial opinions regarding the implementation and administration of the Parts 92, 108 and 110 of the new air cargo security regulations, “ he told FTW. And, he added, his concern is about the management and regulation of the carriage of dangerous goods by air. “Part 108 air cargo security was introduced on July 1, 2009,” said Smit. The purpose of Part 108 is to ensure that no ‘unknown’ cargo is carried on any aircraft. Cargo that has been screened in accordance with the Part 108/110 regulations, and declared as ‘known’ cargo by a regulated agent under the cover of a cargo security declaration, may be accepted for carriage by an air carrier. At the same time, Part 110 – the aviation screener certification – specifies the authority, competency and requirements for the screeners and screening of passengers, baggage and cargo. “But,” said Smit, “both Parts 108 and 110 were never designed to detect ‘dangerous goods’ as defined by the International Air Transport Association (Iata) and Part 92. The main purpose of these Parts is to detect and prevent explosive devices, materials, and the like being loaded onto aircraft. “It is only by default that possible dangerous goods (sometimes apparently innocuous goods) may be detected through the Part 108/110 screening process. “This has raised concern since the introduction of Part 108 – as misdeclared consignments are being discovered. The common declaration used by the courier industry is ‘documents and spares’ – when in fact they could fall into the dangerous goods category.” As for Part 92 – the conveyance of dangerous goods – it regulates the management, handling, packaging and conveyance of dangerous goods by air. According to Smit, it is the shipper’s responsibility to declare the contents accurately on all consignments – especially where dangerous or possible dangerous goods are being consigned by air. But there are possible mitigating circumstances for the industry’s misbehaviour in this regard, he added. “When Part 108 was introduced,” Smit said, “many of the shipper clients – when told that the regulated agent would screen all cargo – construed this to mean that dangerous goods would also automatically be detected. And they therefore left the identification of dangerous goods to the regulated agent – a vital mistake.” As part of its efforts to overcome these possibly highrisk mistakes, Transit Air Cargo Security Solutions has decided that it is important to educate its clients on the current regulations. “We have developed and produced a client awareness programme,” Smit said, “which we are rolling out by holding several informal presentations to our clients. We will also make the material available to our clients to use on their websites to educate their own clients.” Transit is also assisting by calling on those clients’ customers to do the awareness presentations, and possible risk analysis. “By doing this we believe we can create the awareness of the responsibilities of the shippers and their agents in terms of the handling of dangerous goods,” Smit added, “which will eventually minimise the risk.”