CCSP Interim Rule Announced By TSA This Week

National Air Cargo founder Christopher Alf, along with some other transportation industry experts, are advocating a supply chain solution to meet the congressional mandate of screening 100 percent of cargo transported on passenger aircraft by August 2010. The original mandate is a result of the passage of the 'Implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act of 2007', which requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish a system to enable the industry to screen 100 percent of cargo transported on passenger aircraft commensurate with the level of security used for checked baggage.

As ANN reported earlier this week, TSA announced the Certified Cargo Screening Program (CCSP) Interim Rule Tuesday, which TSA says assists aircraft operators in meeting the 50 percent screening milestone and allowing entities in the air cargo supply chain to screen cargo offsite and transport it to the airport securely without the need for rescreening. Aircraft operators, however, must verify that the chain of custody is intact upon acceptance of screened cargo from a CCSP participant.

With less than a year to go until the deadline, the current level of screening is 100 percent of cargo on narrow body aircraft and fifty percent of wide body aircraft.

Alf says the deadline is unrealistic. "The current process is so time-consuming that it would be almost impossible to fully implement 100 percent screening in time to make the deadline. This is due to a lack of sophisticated screening technology being available and affordable across the states."

"Many experts in the industry believe, as I do, that a better solution can be found by certifying trusted supply chain vendors and increasing the number of available screening options," he continued.

Brandon Fried of the Airforwarders Association agrees. "Meeting the 100% screening deadline will be difficult for the aviation supply chain, due to the challenges posed by inadequate technology for cargo screening, lack of funding and lack of awareness in the industry. The Airforwarders Association believes the best way to meet the current mandate as established by Congress is to encourage multiple screening points, which includes Certified Cargo Screening Program (CCSP) and efforts to expand screening options throughout the supply chain."

FMI: www.nationalaircargo.com, www.airforwarders.org