The International Air Transport Association (IATA), the global representative body for the airline industry, has highlighted the importance of safety and security to the air cargo sector. IATA is currently holding its eighteenth World Cargo Symposium in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates.

“To meet customer expectations and navigate an increasingly complex environment, the air cargo industry must continuously strengthen safety and security, fast-track digitalisation, and deliver on its sustainability commitments,” stated IATA global head of cargo Brendan Sullivan.

For all sectors of air transport, safety was the number one priority. For the air cargo sector, the key focus currently was on the safe conveyance of lithium batteries. IATA urged governments to intensify programmes to stop rogue shippers of these batteries, as well as to assist the intergovernmental International Civil Aviation Organisation to reinforce Annex 18 of the Chicago Convention (which governs commercial aviation). Annex 18 provided the worldwide framework for the safe air transport of dangerous goods.

“Shipments of lithium batteries are growing in volume,” he pointed out. “With that come increased risks associated with undeclared or mis-declared goods. The industry has invested in training, certification, and technology. Governments must match that commitment with robust oversight and enforcement.”

Also of great importance was security. Following a number of recent incidents involving incendiary devices hidden in shipments, IATA has reiterated its call to governments to develop a coordinated and risk-based approach to air cargo security. Some countries have already introduced new security measures, others have not, and the lack of alignment between security measures was resulting in inconsistent outcomes. Achieving harmonised responses based on global standards was important.

“Recent security incidents highlight the need for better coordination among governments,” he stressed. “Aviation security cannot be built on fragmented or reactionary measures. Global standards and cooperation are essential.”

The association also reaffirmed that countries must meet their obligations under Annex 17 of the Chicago Convention – to share, in a timely manner, accurate threat intelligence, thereby allowing the informed assessment of risk and the taking of operational decisions.

“The industry is best placed to understand its operations and the associated safety and security risks,” noted Sullivan. “But governments have infinitely more resources, particularly in intelligence gathering. The best results come when governments and industry work together.”

IATA also re-emphasised the importance of its ONE Record data-sharing standard, to enable the end-to-end exchange of digital data. This would improve compliance, transparency and efficiency. The industry had committed itself to being able to implement ONE Record by January 1, next year.

“ONE Record is a foundational shift in how we share, manage and trust data across the supply chain,” he affirmed. “Airlines representing 72% of global air waybill volume are on track to implement it. More than 100 IT providers and 10 000 freight forwarders are already aligned. To achieve full value, implementation must accelerate across all stakeholders, and governments must recognise ONE Record in their regulatory frameworks.”