Pictured: Brandon Fried, Executive Director of the Airforwarders Association
Security requirements regularly need to be assessed and enhanced to stay ahead of threats to the industry. On the 31 October, major changes are coming in the US and if companies are not ready, their cargo will not be shipped internationally, warns Brandon Fried.
Fried explains that the International Civil Aviation Organization advised its member countries that account consigner regimes were not consistent with Annex 17 so the European Union and others discontinued their account consigner programmes.
The US is a member so it followed suit, meaning enhancements to air cargo security, specifically for international freighter flights for certain commodities, which the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) describe as “impracticable” to screen.
Fried emphasises that that does not mean they are unsafe or not being collected from trusted parties but they are challenging to screen using traditional methods.
In the interim, Fried explains, the TSA said to move these commodities, shippers need to apply for an amendment called the Impracticable to Screen (ITS) amendment, which has been in effect for about a year and the TSA has given a deadline for the programme of 31 October.
Fried says, “After that, either the shipper here in the US is in a programme allowing them to readily ship this cargo or the cargo will not be allowed to board an international freighter flight.”
Most countries have known consigner programmes to validate and audit shippers, with the US having voluntary programmes. The Certified Cargo Screening Program allows entities to screen their own cargo before tendering it to airlines if they have been validated and audited by the TSA, which has been encouraging shippers to get enrolled.
“Many shippers up to now have resisted it because they did not want to fall under an additional regulatory umbrella or they simply didn’t understand what it entailed. This is, we think, going to increase the amount of applicants into that programme,” says Fried.
The regulatory language for the Certified Cargo Screening Program is being changed to include freighters, says Fried, explaining that it was focused on passenger flights and now it is being updated to include freighter flights.
The Airforwarders Association has joined forced with the TSA to get the word out through webinars with others including the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association to talk to forwarders about the ITS amendment and urge them to talk to their shippers. Webinars are also being hosted for shippers so they can hear from the TSA what is going to happen.
Fried says, “From an association’s perspective, we feel our job here is to get TSA to the table and let TSA explain this to the members and shipper community.”
The AfA is going on a roadshow this summer with events in locations including Chicago O’Hare International Airport, with TSA in attendance, so freight forwarders can get their questions answered in person. In April, there was a successful meeting in Miami, which taught both the TSA and the attendees a lot.
Fried says, “One of the challenges is people don’t understand the reasoning behind it. They think that this is just something that TSA thought of in the spur of the moment but it was decided about five years ago. We are just coming to the precipice now.”
Come 31 October, the rules are changing and the TSA is not budging. Communication is essential so the TSA has approached the AfA, which has a relationship with the shippers, asking for them to be brought to the table so the TSA can explain the changes.
“Having the TSA there, over our shoulder, as we explain what is about to happen, is very useful for us. Our feeling is that we are just providing a platform and then let the shipper decide because at least they have heard it from the government and they are not holding the forwarder responsible for its interpretation,” Fried says.
The shippers are coming to the table, says Fried, forwarders are getting more confident realising that this is not a competitive issue and if the shipper hears another interpretation, it is likely to be incorrect, such as anyone saying ITS is an exemption. It is not, it is an extension, which is coming to an end.
Fried says, “There is not going to be a knight on a white horse galloping in on October 31 saying don’t worry about it, all is well. I think our job as an association, advocating for our members, is to work out the terms as best as possible and get our members ready for what is about to come.”
He says it is reminiscent of the screening mandate over ten years ago and the biggest learning from that is to communicate and educate, saying forwarders must not be afraid to go to their customers and explain what is about to happen.
“Shippers are adaptable if you are honest with them. Come November 1, I would imagine, as a forwarder, if you have not engaged with your shipper in a useful way, you might have a relationship issue going forward,” Fried warns.
This article was published in the June issue of Air Logistics International, click here to read the digital edition and click here to subscribe.