SECURITY\\\ High tech to the rescue


Security is always a headache for transportation companies but there is promising research that could offer fixes for many problems, says Professor David Menachof, Professor at the Logistics Institute at Hull University Business School. One is an in-cab carbon


dioxide monitor to detect clandestines sneaking aboard trucks bound for the UK. Carbon dioxide checks are routine at entry points like the port of Calais, of course, but the problem with these is that they can only detect an entry aſter it has occurred, possibly hundreds of kilometres before the truck arrives in port; the truck driver is then faced with the problem of


convincing the authorities that there was no complicity on their part. However, the in-house monitor


that the university is developing as part of a possible Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) project would give an immediate alert in the cab, immediately anyone enters the trailer and the driver can call the police straight away. “It’s much more proactive,” explains Professor Menachof. Security is also an important


aspect of the wider Chronos Technology-led Sistals (Solutions for Integrated Seamless Transport Across Land and Sea) project in which the University of Hull is a participant, along with


organisations like AB Ports or the General Lighthouse Authorities. One aspect of Sistals is a


method of proofing GPS against jamming or ‘spoofing’, by adding an ‘eLoran’ (Enhanced Long Range Navigation) layer to GPS and cellular navigation and tracking technology. The radio-based Loran system is in fact one of the oldest electronic navigation systems in existence and was used for tracking ships at sea before GPS became available. But it has the advantage that its very low-frequency radio signals are virtually impossible to jam and it could be added as an extra layer of security, not just for ships but for land-based transport too.


Security screening under scrutiny


X-Ray scanners are very common in air freight because they were the first equipment used in standard security processes. However, they are not


always the most suitable


technology for all types of cargo, says Nicolas Ouakli, in charge of sales of cargo and mail screening equipment at detection specialists, CEIA International. He


told FBJ: “For


example, dense cargo remains an issue for X-ray scanners because of the physical limitations of the technology that make it difficult to screen dense material but also lighter and less dense material when configured in large pallets.” Since the mid-2000s, new


solutions have appeared that might provide complementary results and in some cases be more powerful than the regular images obtained with X-Ray scanners. There are now new


technologies better adapted to screen many types of cargo packages characterized by low X-Ray penetration. Metal detector equipment (MDE) are the most suitable for inspecting freight such as fresh or farm produce, perishable goods, printed matter, plastics or any kind of organic matter products


shipped in large pallets. MDE was first evaluated in


the early 2000s by the French DGAC/STAC (Direction Générale de l’Aviation Civile/Service Technique de l’Aviation Civile) and were introduced in the late 2000s as part of the standard screening methods for non- metallic cargo by the European


Screening Program requires screening at piece level using X-Ray scanners – which normally require the pallet to be broken apart, screened and then reconfigured. Instead, MDE provides automatic and reliable results with minimal intervention in the goods inspected. “They represent a very efficient and cost- effective solution to screen such cargo which is qualified as non- metallic,” Ouakli states. CEIA International’s main market is still airfreight with its very stringent international regulations. Screening maritime freight has become a bigger concern


Commission (Regulation n. 185/2010) and the US TSA (Certified Cargo Screening Program – Air Cargo Screening Technology List). Whereas screeners try to


recognize explosive matter in X-ray images from the goods inspected, MDE does not need a dedicated operator as it focuses on the automatic detection of metallic components such as detonators and batteries in Assembled Explosive and Incendiary Devices (AEIDs). In


addition, they allow the


inspection of an entire pallet at once where regulations such as the US TSA Certified Cargo


in the last few years but it remains less important than air cargo. Rail and road represent the smallest part of the market. Security screening as a service has become very common for most of the actors in the global supply chain such as airlines, freight forwarders, logistic suppliers and transporters. However, the acquisition of cargo screening equipment is also done by outright purchase. Some companies purchase such equipment because they need to comply with regulations yet for others the motivation is to increase productivity and their service offer.


Issue 2 2015 - Freight Business Journal


43 The threat from The Cloud


Most transport firms think of security in terms of things like walls, gates and alarms – but what about electronic threats to their business? The old forms of electronic data interchange were cumbersome, but they had the merit that it was hard for the criminally-minded to break into and manipulate. But the Internet and the Cloud


have changed all that, says Conor McGoveran, chief information officer of cyber-security consultancy, Information Risk Management (IRM). “Now anyone can be attacked – there has been a ‘retooling’ of the criminal gangs,” he told FBJ. The Internet and in particular


the ‘Dark Net’ that lies outside normal scrutiny has made all sorts of activities possible. There have even been cases of details of companies involved in mergers and activities being sold to unscrupulous stock market traders. More particularly for the


logistics industry, potential threats might include supply chain disruptions or attempts to infiltrate the supply chain and then blackmail companies by threatening to sabotage it. “Companies also need to


be aware that attempts to clone emails are getting more sophisticated,” McGoveran continues. These days, they may be written in excellent English and may oſten appear to be genuine. “You can find out a lot about company employees from services like Linked-in. And malware can be very difficult


to eradicate from company systems.” The criminal underworld


is also reflecting the world of legitimate business in becoming more diffuse and international, which makes it harder to track perpetrators down. In some cases, official bodies


like the


military in some nation states have been involved in attempts to target other countries’ critical national infrastructure, which could include transport and logistics services. Groups like NATO are taking cyber-terrorist threats increasingly seriously; there have been suggestions of responding to a cyber-attack with physical military force. But what about individual


companies – how seriously should they take cyber-crime? The worry for many is that making it hard for criminals to access their data could also make it difficult


for their


customers. The key, says McGoveran, is assessing the level of


risk that a company faces. “Try to


understand what is the credible threat that you face, what is the right response – and also how quickly you could escalate your response should you need to.” Joining forces with other


companies in the sector, possibly through bodies like trade associations can also be very effective. It’s also possible for security specialists to scan cyberspace and find out if criminal gangs are targeting certain sectors and also what information is flowing about. The logistics and transport industry may not have been the target of coordinated attack yet – but there is always a first time, McGoveran warns. Meanwhile, ‘Cyberinsurance’


has gained some traction in the US – it is now a $6 billion industry – though it is only just getting off the ground in Europe, says McGoveran. The explanation may lie in tougher disclosure rules


in the US, and coming


changes to European legislation could make it more prevalent here too.


Have the pirates really sailed into the sunset?


Deputy director of the International Maritime Organisation’s safety division Chris Trelawny says that Somali pirate activity in the Horn of Africa may have abated, but the shipping industry cannot afford to be complacent. (There hasn’t been a successful pirate attack in Somalia since 2012, according to NATO). Threats to security change and shiſt all the time; now there is more focus on the Gulf of Guinea off the coast of West Africa and this time the threat is not so much to ship and


their crews but the cargo they are carrying. Ships carrying readily usable refined products are most at risk, though who is to say that the criminals won’t turn their attentions to container ships at a later stage? Again, the amount of


maritime crime in the Gulf of Guinea has reduced, but it will never go away completely. Unless and until the root causes of piracy, such as poverty or organised criminals are eradicated, it is always liable to flare up from time to time in


different parts of the world. Usually, what happens is


that, as the pirate threat is seen to recede, ship operators get complacent and start taking risks again – for example, straying too close to dubious coastal regions. So while the pirates of the Horn of Africa may be quiet for the moment, with 40% of the world’s traded goods passing through their region, according to the UK Chamber of Shipping, the potential is always there for the problem to flare up again.


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