TSA impracticable-to-screen reg sees smooth transition

It has been nearly one week since new regulations for impracticable-to-screen cargo went into effect for shippers in the United States and the transition has been mostly smooth, industry leaders said. On Nov. 1, the TSA implemented the screening policy, which affects some cargo shipments from the U.S. to foreign destinations. [caption id="attachment_57134006" align="alignright" width="300"] TSA rule change is expected to take effect October 2023. (Photo/TSA)[/caption] Shipments affected are typically those that have unusual sizing or shape and cannot be easily screened, Steve Alterman, former president of the Cargo Airline Association , previously told Air Cargo Next . The new regulation complies with screening regulations by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The ICAO policy went into effect in July 2021 and the TSA approved the Impracticable-to-screen Amendment shortly thereafter. The amendment gave shippers a grace period before the TSA regulation went into effect Nov. 1. During the grace period, impracticable-to-screen cargo was not being screened. “So far, we didn’t experience additional challenges as we were well-prepared and kept our customers informed,” Benno Forster , senior vice president and head of operations and procurement for the Americas at DB Schenker , told Air Cargo Next. Becoming CCFS ready To comply with the new policy, shippers had to join TSA’s Certified Cargo Screening Program and become certified cargo screening facilities (CCFS) to fall in line with ICAO’s standard of becoming “known consigners,” Air Cargo Next previously reported. A known consigner is “a shipper with processes that have met common security standards and regulations for air transport and is trusted to screen its own items,” Air Cargo Next previously reported. While only about 2% of all shipments from the U.S. require these measures, those that do not comply will face delays, Brandon Fried , Airforwarders Association executive director, told Air Cargo Next . “At this time, I haven't gotten any calls from members about the elimination of the TSA Impractical-to-screen Amendment program,” he said. “However, since the community shipping this cargo is relatively small, I suspect it will take some time for the limitation to saturate into the group. “Once this happens, there will undoubtedly be shippers who still need to enroll in the Certified Cargo Standard Security Screening Program hoping to ship goods that will not be eligible for screening and, hence, ineligible for international air transportation,” Fried added. Fried said during this week’s TIACA Executive Summit in Brussels the topic would be addressed in depth. Bomb plot spurs change Prior to July 2021, cargo transported on freighters did not receive the same security measures as bellyhold cargo, mainly due to the general thought that terrorists were more likely to target passenger planes. This idea shifted when, in 2010, two bombs that were hidden inside a toner cartridge on a freighter originating in Yemen and bound for the United States were seized. “Based on that plot, the International Civil Aviation Organization amended their standards and recommended practices,” John Beckius , executive director of TSA’s air cargo division, policy, plans and engagement, said in a panel at the CNS Partnership Conference in Miami in June. “They eliminated the distinction between cargo transported on passenger aircraft or all-cargo.” Industry leaders hope their efforts to shed light on this policy over the past several months spurred shippers to get fully prepared. “The Airforwarders Association remains vigilant to assist our members and their customers in dealing with this requirement while hoping that our extensive outreach efforts achieved the desired awareness impact over the past six months we expected,” Fried said.

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