‘Safety & security of cargo will remain industry’s top priority’

Glyn Hughes, Director General, The International Air Cargo Agents Association of India (TIACA) says, “Safety and security are and will always remain the industry’s top priority.  With regards to safety, Dangerous Goods handling and transport are subject to international and national regulations and carrier specific policies.   The development of the various regulations take into account manufacturing developments, packaging standards and safe controls.  Documentation, training and accountability ensure that all parties in the supply chain should be aware of what’s being moved, how it has been packaged and what safe controls to apply. There are regulations and standards applicable to cargo carried in passenger aircraft and different regulations and standards applied to all cargo freighter aircraft.  This takes into account the different containment measures applicable in the various cargo holds and main deck environments.   ICAO, through its Technical Instructions (TI), published every two years, provides the primary source of regulations for the safe carriage of dangerous goods.  IATA then publishes its Dangerous Good Regulations manual which is based on the ICAO TI’s and adds additional chapters covering carrier specific requirements. One major area of focus is on the safe carriage of lithium batteries, volumes of which have grown significantly in recent years.  Lithium batteries have undergone significant testing in an air cargo environment to determine the safest standards to apply.  These standards include the maximum state of charge that a battery may hold whilst being shipped, it also covers quantities when loaded loose, quantities within appliances and other considerations.  The key consideration though starts with knowing what is being carried and correct declaration.”