US screening requirements will severely affect SA shippers

South African freight
forwarders will be severely
affected by the US-led
legislation concerning
security of cargo on
passenger airplanes,
according to Bernard
Crimes, security expert at
HAB International.
Crimes says the
US-driven security
screening requirements are
also being enforced by the
British government, and
their implications for the
freight industry could be
severe, resulting not only
in increased costs but also
additional
time taken to deliver goods
around the world.
He said in August last
year the US Transportation
Security Administration
(TSA) had called for the
establishment of a system to
physically screen 100% of
cargo on passenger aircraft.
This affects all cargo
entering the United
States. Crimes says that
the regulations call for
the use of TSA-approved
X-ray systems and strongly
encourage the use of
dual-view X-ray systems.
However, if a single view
system is used, the item has
to be rotated and screened
twice – the second time
from a different angle.
“Dual view machines are
expensive, and when the
laws calling for a look at a
parcel twice from a different
view are adopted, it means
a slower process. But this
is more economical than
having to recapitalise X-ray
scanning machines,” he
says.
In March the TSA issued
new security directives
regarding screening of cargo
on passenger airplanes that
originate, transit, or transfer
cargo shipments from non-
US locations and that fly to
US locations and or interests
overseas. Aircraft operators
were to have implemented
the measures set forth by
March 10 but they will come
into effect by December 12.
The European Union
and Britain’s Department
for Transport are also
implementing similar
legislation while in the US
Delta Airlines is already
using the TSA-approved
dual-view Rapiscan 638DV
as its preferred cargo
inspection technology.
“As one of three global
players in the world in this
industry, we don’t make
the rules in terms of what
has to be done but we
have the machines though
which organisations have to
comply with international
requirements,” says Crimes.