The Transportation Security Administration reports that it has put in place procedures to meet the congressionally-mandated requirement to screen 50 percent of all cargo on passenger planes by Feb. 3. TSA is also required to screen 100 percent of such cargo by August 2010.

TSA has issued security directives to all air carriers stating that as of Feb. 1 they must screen 50 percent of cargo placed on passenger aircraft. Each carrier is required to submit data monthly on the amount of cargo it has screened, and TSA inspectors will verify compliance. Last October TSA mandated screening of all cargo on narrow-body aircraft, which make up more than 95 percent of all U.S. flights.

In addition, more than 100 facilities have been certified as participants in the Certified Cargo Screening Program, with more than 30 new companies being certified each week. When fully implemented this public/private initiative will provide the ability to expand screening beyond airline cargo warehouses to several points, including manufacturing facilities, consolidation points, distribution centers and independent cargo screening facilities. TSA states that ICSFs have the additional benefit of providing a cost-effective avenue for small and medium-sized freight forwarders to meet the law’s screening requirement.

TSA adds that during the implementation of these programs it is continuing to utilize a multi-layered approach to air cargo security, including allowing only known and established shippers to offer cargo to passenger airlines for shipment, randomly screening a significant percentage of all cargo, deploying explosive detection canine teams at high-volume cargo airports and conducting covert tests and no-notice inspections of cargo operations.

© 2008, Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A. Originally published in the 02/12/2009 issue of ST&R’s WorldTrade\Interactive. Reprinted by permission.