Making the Shipping World a Safer Place

Margo McCall -- Tradeshow Week, 5/2/2005

Among the voluntary programs meant to speed things up for frequent shippers, FAST, short for Free and Secure Trade, allows carriers, drivers and importers traveling between Canada, Mexico and the United States expedited border processing. After filling out an application and submitting a security profile, the program provides dedicated lanes and even priority processing during times when the national threat level is elevated.

There's one catch: To participate in FAST, carriers must be involved in another voluntary program, C-TPAT, short for Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism. The C-TPAT program, launched in November 2001 with a handful of importers, now includes more than 9,000 players in the global supply chain. To receive a C-TPAT designation, companies and vendors they deal with must meet certain minimum-security guidelines.

The guidelines call for everything from employee background checks and accurate manifesting procedures to parking restrictions and computer password protection. High-security seals must be placed on all containers bound for the United States. In addition, C-TPAT criteria stipulate exactly how containers should be inspected and stored.

The TWI Group already has its C-TPAT designation. Phoenix Logistics President Phil Hobson said his company is applying in the hope that a C-TPAT designation will cut down on the number of shipments being subjected to time-consuming examinations. "With the new customs examinations procedures being enforced, we're seeing an increase in exams. What this will do is make our procedures more secure," he said.

Barry Morrissey, a CBP spokesman, called C-TPAT "the most successful public-private partnership in dealing with the potential of global terrorism." But he also pointed out that the companies themselves benefit from adopting the more stringent security procedures.

Another program, called the Automated Manifest System, requires that oceangoing freight be manifested 48 hours before the vessel departs, and air freight at least four hours before the aircraft's departure.

"It creates a lot more paperwork," said Jay Cease, director of operations for TWI Group. "Airfreight was always meant for last minute. They've taken the last minute out of it."