In the wake of September 11th and following increased emphasis on passenger air travel security, the air cargo system has become a potential target for terrorists. European countries have undertaken various regulatory approaches that involve technology and operational measures aimed at addressing the perceived security threats in the air cargo industry. Air cargo transportation system is designed to provide fast and efficient shipment of goods, two features that make it highly vulnerable to potential security threats. The main objective of the project is to implement and validate in real-life environments a system that addresses these security risks and is aligned with the time and cost realities of the air cargo industry.
The project concept is to develop a smart and secure inter-modal cargo container, sufficiently light to not adversely affect air transport costs, but sufficiently robust to allow mechanical handling and be used by road/rail transport. The container together with an information exchange platform will allow business to business transportation of goods, reduce handling of actual goods, eliminate tampering risks, lessen cargo processing time, reduce time of security screening.
These features are achieved by combining a collapsible, light weight container, made of advanced composite materials, with a mechanical high-end locking system. The lock system features a secure PIN-code lock operated remotely through encrypted communication channels, electronic shipping documents (e-freight), secure redundant server based tracking and monitoring, 24/7 fully redundant communication systems based on multiple technologies technology for continuous real-time visibility. The Lockbar contains technologies such as Near Field Communication (NFC), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS and GRPS.
The consortium assembles research performing SMEs with unique and complementary expertise, who will produce 200+ Cargoboxes with 200+ Lockbars, monitoring and communication capability, the server based tracking system and depot infrastructure sets, obtain the relevant approvals from FAA/EASA, and deploy the solution with the pilot participants. Through these pilot participants the Cargoboxes will be shipped through five closed loop transport lanes around the globe. The project will contain the selection of participants in the entire value chain (shippers, logistics services providers (LSP’s), handling agents, airlines, customs, forwarders and consignees), and select several diverse multi-modal transport lanes to execute the pilot. On the basis of these five lanes, the Cargoboxes will be tested and data will be collected, resulting in project results composed by an independent auditor.
The project results, as compared with the current packaging, transport and security management methods, will be widely disseminated via industry associations such as IATA, TSA and TIACA. A full industrialization and commercialization plan will be developed in the course of the project.
