Terminologies in Air Cargo Security

- Secure cargo: It is IATA policy that cargo should always be secure before being loaded onto a commercial aircraft.
This means it must either come from a secure supply chain or be subjected to screening.

- Secure supply chain: It is a supply chain in which each member of the chain, who has access to the cargo, has followed relevant security procedures and protected the cargo from unauthorized interference whilst it is in their care. Each supply chain member must only handover secure cargo to another member who must similarly act to maintain its status.

- Cargo screening methods: Screening methods include application of regulated agent and known shipper programmes in addition to conventional x-ray, metal detectors, physical hand search, Explosive Detection Systems (EDS) including canine (specialist dogs), Explosive Trace Detection (ETD), full flight simulation, and decompression.

- Threat from air cargo carried on a combination air carrier: Generally the threat is considered to arise from the introduction of an improvised explosive device into a consignment of air cargo before it is loaded into the aircraft hold.

- Threat from air cargo carried by all-cargo aircraft: Principally it is considered to be from a terrorist(s) taking control of an aircraft and using it as a weapon of mass destruction. The risk is that a person, having hidden in a box could break out of it while in-flight, access the flight deck and take control of the aircraft. There is a limited history of people secreting themselves inside cargo boxes, although not necessarily with the intent of committing an act of unlawful interference.

- Annex 17: Annex 17 is the security Annex to the ICAO Convention on International Civil Aviation. It contains International Standards and Recommended Practices for Safeguarding International Civil Aviation against Acts of Unlawful Interference.

- Who regulates air cargo security: All aspects of aviation security are regulated separately in each country by designated appropriate authorities. Countries that have contracted to Annex 17 should implement security regulations, which are consistent and compatible with the International Standards it contains. The standards contained in Annex 17 are generic in nature. They require interpretation and tend to be interpreted differently.

 - The disparity in security requirements for combination and all-cargo carriers: The threat posed by cargo uplifted on combination carriers is different to that posed by cargo uplifted on all-cargo aircraft. Therefore to be proportionate the security controls applied should be different.

- Fundamental principles of IATA air cargo security policy:

(i) Cargo must be secure cargo before uplift.

(ii) Security Controls must be proportionate to the threat and risk

(iii) Cargo must be secured as close to the origin of the supply chain as

possible.

(iv) Solutions must be integral to routine cargo operations and include all

key supply chain stakeholder segments wherever possible.

- The IATA Cargo Security mission: To simplify cargo security by developing an integrated solution, which involves all key supply chain stakeholder functions, is proportionate to the threat, effective, harmonized and sustainable.

- A known shipper and known consignor: These terms are usually used to describe the same entity, however there may be differences in validation methods and ongoing operational requirements in countries that are signatories to authorized Cargo screening programmes. A Known consignor / shipper is an originator of shipments for transportation by air who has established business with a Regulated Agent or an Operator on the basis of having demonstrated satisfaction of specific requirements for safe transportation of cargo.

- A Regulated Agent and an Indirect Air Carrier: Indirect Air Carrier (IAC) is the term used only in the USA to describe a Regulated Agent.

- The World Customs Organization (WCO) Framework: In the context of cargo security, the Framework aims to:

(i) Establish standards that provide supply chain security and facilitation at a

global level to promote certainty and predictability.

(ii) Strengthen co-operation between Customs administrations to improve their

capability to detect high-risk consignments.

(iii) Promote the seamless movement of goods through secure international trade

supply chains.

- The difference between aviation security and Customs security requirements for cargo: Aviation security requirements are intended to prevent any act of unlawful interference (during transportation). In the context of cargo security, Customs requirements aim to detect and prevent the loading of undeclared and /or illegally possessed weapons, weapons transportation systems or parts thereof, which are intended for assembly and use after transportation.

- Why doesn't IATA support 100% screening of cargo: 100% screening would require the application of technical or other means to all cargo to identify or detect explosives etc? We do not believe this is proportionate to the threat or the best method of achieving cargo security. Note: 100% screening is generally incompatible with the current business model in which most cargo is delivered to air carriers pre-built by the customer.

- What is IATA SEMS: SEMS is the IATA Security Management Systems, which provide a structured and standardized approach to arranging and implementing aviation security requirements.