Cargo Security Measures

SECURITY MEASURES ON CARGO / PREMISE AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS

AMBER COURIER (AC)’s security measures are in all the processes involved in transporting cargo from shipper to consignee throughout the cargo supply chain and end-to-end process for transporting cargo.

Before cargo acceptance and handling, AC must ensure that consignments are ready for carriage in compliance with the operator and IATA regulations, as well as with the export and import rules of the countries through which the cargo will transit. All items to be transported must pass through an acceptance process.

Booking & Planning Shipments

AC process of cargo handling begins with booking and planning shipments as below:

  • Receive shippers’ requests and check the security status.
  • Receive shippers’ information (commercial invoice and packing list, and other related information)
  • Plan the routing-direct or consolidation.
  • Request capacity against forwarder or carrier inventories
  • Confirm capacity.
  • Arrange to pick it up.
  • Picked up from the shipper.

Cargo is Received and Accepted for Shipment

AC will ensure clear and correct labeling and identification of packages. The packages must be suited to the content in the invoice and packing list given earlier and packing must be intact and able to protect the cargo itself from being tampered with and from damage.

Receive Shipments into Carrier Domain

AC then arranges transports to the carrier domain by which the carrier should have received the following information in advance electronically and provided with a set of hardcopies upon cargo receiving: –

  • Electronic air waybill information, AWB / MBL
  • Electronic house waybill information for consolidated shipments / HBL
  • Truck number and type (if available)
  • Estimated arrival time (if available)
  • Security screening needs (if known/available)

Once the information has been received, and the truck has arrived, an unloading slot and position will be assigned to the driver. Different slots are given according to needs, such as dangerous goods, live animals, ULDs, healthcare products, and more.

Accept Shipments as Ready for Carriage

AC ground handling personnel will take several steps to meet the requirements to ship goods.  First, they must verify if the shipments are security cleared. Staff must perform a ready-for-carriage check. Staff must verify that all the information aligns with the actual shipment and ensure all embargoes and operational restrictions are applied. Once everything has been checked, the information is validated against the booking and updated. The primary objective is to ensure the consignments comply with

  • Carrier requirements
  • Local export rules and regulations
  • Rules and regulations of the transit airport(s) and air spaces (if any)
  • Import regulations of the destination country

Prepare Cargo for Flight

After accepting shipments ready for carriage, cargo, and ground handling services must give this transit cargo security checks, including x-ray and screening. A detailed exam of the e-AWB, integrity of the cargo, and piece count is made. Once the pre-plan details are received from the carrier, a build-up plan must be prepared, which indicates what air cargo is to be built for flight, and the information is sent to the warehouse.

Deliver Shipments to Flight

All the loaded ULDs will be moved to a secure flight holding area and be mindful of all sensitive information such as temperature-controlled and dangerous goods.

AC must ensure the booked flights are NOT delayed and the ULDs can be lined up for ramp transportation. All ramp safety protocols must be followed. All ground support equipment during the process of loading and unloading is necessary.

Currently, the control of the cargo passes from the warehouse operator to the ramp handler. The transport of goods from cargo terminal to aircraft is a multi-step process best lined out in the IATA Cargo Handling Manual (ICHM).

Once the aircraft is loaded, any discrepancies must be addressed by updating the electronic Flight Manifest. The cargo loading procedure is completed by mailing the flight manifest, loading, and carriage information.    

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