BIFA warns against knee-jerk reaction to air cargo security

The British International Freight Association (BIFA) says that whilst the UK government is likely to review all aspects of air cargo security following the incidents at East Midlands airport and Dubai on Friday, there should not be a knee-jerk reaction.

Director general Peter Quantrill said that while the issue requires attention to look at systems and procedures, it must be stressed that there are already well established, in depth and organised processes in place.

"It was a very serious issue but it would be wrong to suggest that airfreight is not treated in the same way as passengers when it comes to security," said Quantrill.  "The fact that the explosives were discovered after an intelligence tip off shows that the use of intelligence and good policing experience is one of the most important aspects of this."

He noted that BIFA is pleased that the UK government has already acknowledged the massive economic and financial implications of much tighter international air cargo security rules, and has stopped short of saying that a much more rigorous system of checks was being planned either unilaterally or globally.

"Post 9/11, industry and government has implemented robust legislation for securing the supply chain from an act of terrorism, and the freight forwarding industry has made heavy investments in screening equipment and procedures," said Quantrill.

He added that supply chain security relies less on new methods and technology than it does on greater co-operation and information sharing among supply chain parties and between the public and private sectors.

"Clear, uniformly enforced strategies that build on existing commercial and government data at minimal cost and with minimal disruption to the flow of trade are essential to success. It’s a tall order. And it brings costs with it. But success depends on it."

BIFA members are constantly looking at the screening of freight and the processes that they use, and BIFA will be talking with government and other involved parties about these issues.