When shipping air freight, much needs to be considered before the cargo even makes it onto the plane. For one thing, the cargo needs to be adequately prepared for travel, which actually involves a number of tasks, including ensuring that the cargo is packed properly and can handle the stresses of travelling in a plane. There is also the need to ensure that the most cost-effective shipment is being made. Furthermore, the weight and dimensions of cargo need to fit the aircraft, which normally involves a choice between passenger plane freight and freight transported on cargo planes.
All that takes a great deal of preparation if the journey is going to be secure. But what many people are unaware of is that air freight security is also a massively important consideration and its one that takes quite a considerable degree of planning and analysis to realize. We often assume that airports are some of the most security-intensive locations on Earth. Nevertheless, despite this, air freight theft is a serious risk, and it certainly does happen.
As you might expect, the criminals behind this use pretty advanced techniques, and it’s normally the work of organized crime. These are the criminal groups that have the resources to steal from airports or to otherwise ensure that freight ends up in their hands instead of the intended destinations.
The Question of Value
One of the reasons that air freight is a common target from criminals, as well as the reason that it normally involves crime at the more advanced end of the spectrum, is that air freight is particularly valuable. Anything that is going by plane is going a long distance, and that means it is shipped in bulk. This means that these aircraft are transporting valuable cargo, which drives at once criminal interest and the development of advanced security measures to keep it safe.
The DHL express reseller Preferred Shipping recommends that air freight security should be a top priority, perhaps even more important than a cargo’s physical security. Much cargo is damaged in transit, but very rarely totally destroyed. Air freight theft, on the other hand, can be responsible for the complete disappearance of cargo. And when we consider the typical value of that cargo, this can be a devastating loss.
Security Best Practices and Tips
So, how can you ensure cargo is kept safe? What level of security infrastructure should you expect for freight? Here follows some essential advice:
Audit and Analyze
As mentioned, the criminals involved in air freight theft are highly advanced. It is not enough to simply respond to their activities – you need to anticipate them. This involves a full security audit from the start to the finish of the shipment process. The process should be split into steps and the potential threats at each stage ascertained. Breaking the process down like this is the best way to cast your net wide. And when the process changes, you need to repeat the process.
Layer Security Measures
What’s better than either security seals or tamper-evident tape? Security seals and tamper-evident tape. You should layer your security measures, as this is money well spent and an amount far less than the potential cost of air freight theft.
Utilize Digital Tracking
This system of barcode scanners and tracking software is the best way to offer maximum security for air freight. It will also provide peace of mind when cargo is logged as having arrived at each step along the way.
Air freight security is a serious business, and it should be approached with the proper seriousness.
