Concerns Over Air Cargo Security Continue
Jim Kouri, CPP
November 17, 2005
In 2004, an estimated 23 billion pounds of air cargo was transported within the United States, about a quarter of which was transported on passenger aircraft. Within the Department of Homeland Securitt, the Transportation Security Administration is responsible for ensuring the security of commercial aviation, including the transportation of cargo by air.
The TSA has taken initial steps toward applying a risk-based management approach to address air cargo security. A risk-based management approach entails a continuous process of managing risk through a series of actions, including setting strategic goals and objectives and assessing risk through the identification and evaluation of threats, vulnerabilities, and critical assets.
In November 2003, the TSA completed an air cargo strategic plan that outlined a threat-based, risk management approach to secure the air cargo system by, among other things, targeting elevated risk cargo for inspection. The TSA also completed an updated threat assessment in April 2005.
However, the TSA has not yet established a methodology and schedule for completing assessments of air cargo vulnerabilities and critical assets -- two crucial elements of a risk-based management approach without which TSA may not be able to appropriately focus its resources on the most critical security needs.
The TSA has taken a number of actions intended to strengthen air cargo security, but factors exist that may limit their effectiveness. For example, TSA established a centralized database on people and businesses that routinely ship air cargo to improve information on known shippers. However, General Accounting Office analysts identified problems with the reliability of the information in the database, and how the TSA is using the information to identify shippers who may pose a risk.
The TSA has also established requirements for air carriers to randomly inspect air cargo, but has exempted some cargo from inspection, potentially creating security weaknesses. Further, the TSA conducts audits of air carriers and indirect air carriers to ensure that they are complying with existing air cargo security requirements.
Unfortunately, the TSA has not developed measures to assess the adequacy of air carrier and indirect air carrier compliance, systematically analyzed these audit results to target future inspections, or assessed the effectiveness of its enforcement actions to ensure compliance with air cargo security requirements.
The TSA's plans for enhancing air cargo security focus on implementing a system for targeting and inspecting elevated risk cargo, and requiring air carriers to conduct security threat assessments on thousands of cargo workers, among other efforts. These plans may pose financial, operational, and technological challenges to the agency and air cargo industry stakeholders. For example, those who have a stake in air cargo security are concerned, and GOA analysis identified, that TSA may have underestimated the cost of its proposed measures.
Sources: US Department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security Administration, Government Accounting Office, National Security Institute
The TSA has taken initial steps toward applying a risk-based management approach to address air cargo security. A risk-based management approach entails a continuous process of managing risk through a series of actions, including setting strategic goals and objectives and assessing risk through the identification and evaluation of threats, vulnerabilities, and critical assets.
In November 2003, the TSA completed an air cargo strategic plan that outlined a threat-based, risk management approach to secure the air cargo system by, among other things, targeting elevated risk cargo for inspection. The TSA also completed an updated threat assessment in April 2005.
However, the TSA has not yet established a methodology and schedule for completing assessments of air cargo vulnerabilities and critical assets -- two crucial elements of a risk-based management approach without which TSA may not be able to appropriately focus its resources on the most critical security needs.
The TSA has taken a number of actions intended to strengthen air cargo security, but factors exist that may limit their effectiveness. For example, TSA established a centralized database on people and businesses that routinely ship air cargo to improve information on known shippers. However, General Accounting Office analysts identified problems with the reliability of the information in the database, and how the TSA is using the information to identify shippers who may pose a risk.
The TSA has also established requirements for air carriers to randomly inspect air cargo, but has exempted some cargo from inspection, potentially creating security weaknesses. Further, the TSA conducts audits of air carriers and indirect air carriers to ensure that they are complying with existing air cargo security requirements.
Unfortunately, the TSA has not developed measures to assess the adequacy of air carrier and indirect air carrier compliance, systematically analyzed these audit results to target future inspections, or assessed the effectiveness of its enforcement actions to ensure compliance with air cargo security requirements.
The TSA's plans for enhancing air cargo security focus on implementing a system for targeting and inspecting elevated risk cargo, and requiring air carriers to conduct security threat assessments on thousands of cargo workers, among other efforts. These plans may pose financial, operational, and technological challenges to the agency and air cargo industry stakeholders. For example, those who have a stake in air cargo security are concerned, and GOA analysis identified, that TSA may have underestimated the cost of its proposed measures.
Sources: US Department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security Administration, Government Accounting Office, National Security Institute
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