Iata’s Securefreight project takes risk-based approach

As plans by the US to
screen 100% of air cargo
moving into the country
continue to make the
headlines, the International
Air Transport Association is
making good progress in its
risk-based ‘Securefreight’
initiatives.
“The challenge,”
says senior VP industry
distribution and financial
services, Aleksander
Popovich, “is to avoid
measures that would lead
to having every piece of
freight screened. That
would bring the industry to
its knees.
“We have a programme
called Securefreight which
is a risk-based approach
that involves secure
operators who have to
satisfy a checklist of quality
standards.”
The challenge is to get
as many governments
as possible to agree on
standards that would give
‘secure’ operators fast-lane
preference for inbound
cargo.
Collaboration, says
Popovich, is key going
forward. “It must be one
speech given by many
voices in the air cargo
supply chain.”
And he’s satisfied with
the good work already done.
“We have engaged with
a number of government
bodies – with Malaysia the
first Securefreight pilot. We
started dialogue with the
government two or three
years ago and as a result
they have recognised the
Securefreight checklist
within their legislation.
“Our goal is to build a
Securefreight origin and
destination network.”
In the US the TSA
has achieved its goal
of 100% screening for
outbound cargo and is
now focusing on a similar
formula for inbound.
According to Popovich,
Iata is in discussions
on the recognition of a
Securefreight standard.
In terms of deadlines,
he says that in contrast
to e-freight it’s very
difficult to set a goal for
Securefreight because it’s
about governments, “and
it’s out of our hands.”
Iata does however set
annual goals. Last year it
was to run Securefreight
pilots in two countries
and that was achieved in
Malaysia and Kenya,
he said.