New global TAPA truck crime standard

   The Transportation Asset Protection Association has released a new global security standard to protect high-value consumer goods traveling on international.
    According to the association, cargo crime levels involving attacks on vehicles are estimated to cost in excess of $10 billion a year.
    The updated and enhanced Trucking Security Requirements 2012 replaces the 2008 version and takes effect from Jan. 1. TSR has proven to be extremely effective for TAPA members in helping to eradicate what is a growing problem for manufacturers and global supply chain service providers.
    “Organized criminals target what they regard as vulnerable cargo loads as they move on roads through Asia, the Americas, and Europe, the Middle East and Africa and in one of the most recent incidents a truck driver lost his life in a violent criminal attack,” TAPA noted. “The mounting cost of losses and insurance claims is also impacting product prices for consumers.”
    TAPA’s 700-plus global members include leading brand manufacturers in the high-tech, pharmaceutical, metal, luxury goods, tobacco and fashion industries as well as their logistics, freight forwarding, insurance and transport partners. The combined annual revenue of its members exceeds $900 billion.
    The association took similar action in 2001 when it launched its original Freight Security Requirements to protect warehouse operations from criminal attacks. Having significantly reduced incidents involving warehouses, TAPA has since seen a dramatic increase in road-based crime.
    “The world of cargo crime is no longer about an opportunist individual snatching a product from a box in a warehouse,” said TAPA’s regional chairmen in a statement. “Today, we are dealing with gangs of organized criminals that are often armed and prepared to go to any lengths as we saw as recently as September with the murder of a driver during a hijack of his vehicle in the Philippines.
    “Vehicles are attacked whilst being parked up overnight, at motorway service stations and even while moving and, in some countries, this may start with truck drivers being stopped by what turn out to be authentic-looking but bogus law enforcement officers,” they said.
    The new and enhanced TAPA Truck Security Requirements, which includes mandatory certification, supports the users and providers of trucking services, providing a common standard of security measures and taking into account the different ways these services are provided globally. TSR is validated and auditable by a TAPA-approved and trained independent auditor.
    Cargo crime is one of the biggest supply chain challenges for manufacturers of high value, high risk products and their logistics service providers. In the European Union alone, the cost to businesses is estimated at 8.2 billion euros ($11 billion) a year and is still growing, while in the Americas estimates for losses range from $3 billion to $5 billion a year. Globally, about 85 percent of all major cargo thefts occur during road transportation so the need for a robust and consistent trucking standard is critical, TAPA said.
    “TAPA Americas has made a major commitment to the TSR,” said Alan Spear, chairman for TAPA Americas.
    John Tabor, director of corporate security for National Retail Systems, will chair a new TAPA Work Group on the TSR to help roll it out to industry in 2012, Spear said.