welcome 2 IN THE CHAIR A BUSY SUMMER AHEAD FOR SECURITY STAKEHOLDERS


things we can be certain of. One of these, unfortunately, is the Europe-wide shortage of truck drivers. This is not a Covid-engineered phenomenon, it is a situation which has been worsening for many years, and it shows no sign of changing. If anything, expectations are it will become even worse.


We are heading into a frantic second half of 2021 for supply chains across the EMEA region and this will bring fresh tests to their security and resilience.


As more countries ease their Covid restrictions, life will begin to feel a little more normal, but it is going to take time for supply chains to recover. Investment bank Goldman Sachs has just stated that it sees the world’s supply disruptions and the inflation they’re causing as temporary and predicts things ‘heading back toward normal in 2022,’ reports Forbes.


Between now and then, as one TAPA EMEA member put it during a media briefing recently, we can expect a state of ‘perpetual peak season’. Hold on to your hats!


There are so many factors driving this. It’s not only supply chains which have been so challenged by Covid. Manufacturing production is also far behind schedule for


many companies. When you then add in the shortfall in ocean capacity and the severe escalation in shipping costs ex Asia to Europe and the United States, it’s going to be tough for everyone to not only move their products but to also protect some degree of margin. There is a rush to restock but, as one source commented, if you haven’t got a shipping plan in place by the end of July in terms of ocean freight ex Asia, ‘Christmas is cancelled’. Only time will tell.


The sense of urgency attached to the supply and shipping of goods means it will be more challenging than ever to keep supply chains secure. When transportation space becomes available, the temptation will be to book it, but this will often mean working with new and unknown suppliers which will need to be rapidly verified before shipments commence.


This may be a situation that calms down after a few months or it may be ‘the new normal’ that was spoken about so regularly during the peak of Covid. Whatever happens, there are some


‘This may be a situation that calms down after a few months or it may be ‘the new normal’ that was spoken about so regularly during the peak of Covid.’


A popular solution to this problem is to source truck space via online freight exchanges, where there seems to be plenty. While, statistically, this is a reliable way to move goods without any problems, TAPA EMEA has, once again, been contacted by a member company which has suffered several losses after their products were booked using a freight exchange platform. We talk to their security manager and also offer some sound advice on measures you can take to avoid becoming a victim of a bogus operator.


Also in this issue, you’ll read more about remote auditing for industry standards and how to prepare to do a virtual audit. We also report the latest cargo crime statistics from South Africa as well as the biggest recorded cargo theft of the year in EMEA, valued at a staggering €50 million. And, this month’s Standards FAQs answers some of your questions about Self-certification.


The final word from me this month, echoing a message you will see throughout this issue, is to...


REGISTER NOW


... for our TAPA EMEA Virtual Conference, Exhibition & Networking Event. You won’t want to miss it!


MARCEL SAARLOOS Chair TAPA EMEA


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