Air cargo screening has come under quite a bit of scrutiny lately since there have been a few incidents of parcel bombs making their way to sensitive locations. Thankfully the packages were intercepted in time and no one was hurt but the fact that the bombs made their way from one foreign country to another makes it very clear that current parcel security measures are insufficient.
The recent incidents have spurred governments worldwide to take a few steps have to try to protect against repeats of threats of this nature, but so far these steps have been nothing more than temporary solutions. These steps included a ban by several countries on shipments from Yemen and Somalia, a ban on shipments of printer cartridges that weigh more than one pound and even the suspension of some flights leaving Somalia. Legislation has been introduced in several countries to tighten air cargo security but so far none have been implemented.
Shipping providers are facing more and more threats and security issues. Worldwide, these companies and all governments need to work together to establish better information sharing, better cargo handling practices, and proactive security solutions and data standards.
Handling increasing cargo volumes and congestion as well as keeping up with customer needs in an atmosphere of intense competition is forcing shipping companies to improve their risk management procedures as well as their level of data collection for each parcel they handle. Screening 100% of all cargo and parcels going in and out of shipping facilities is just not possible, but taking care to focus on and identify key suspect packages is a big step towards safer cargo transport.
~ K. McMillan-Ralph, Graphics & Marketing Manager
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WTI (Wireless Technology, Inc.)
Video Surveillance Products Dedicated to the Broadcast, Global Security and Transportation Markets!
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