250 attendees at second Lufthansa Cargo Security Conference
The focus at the second Lufthansa Cargo Security Conference in Frankfurt today is squarely on mounting security requirements in the international airfreight industry. All in all, around 250 experts from the aviation industry, science and political life are attending the conference to discuss the latest developments.
Karl-Heinz Köpfle, Board Member Operations at Lufthansa Cargo, underlines the importance now assumed by security in international aviation: “Security is a topmost priority at Lufthansa Cargo. There is no place for compromise. We have invested immense resources in technology and
training so as to offer customers even higher security standards, coupled with fast and cost-efficient processes.” At the same time, Köpfle also emphasises that the tightening of security regulations must bring real gains in security: “It is pointless for us to incur additional expenditure from new security measures, if they are not thought-through or not at all necessary because they fail to effect any objective improvement in security. That is not in our interest.”
The conference will be informed about new EU regulations by the head of aviation security at the EU Commission, Dr. Eckhard Seebohm. These predominantly envisage tighter checks on shipments to the USA. From August this year, for example, full 100% screening is mandated for all air cargo transported to US destinations on passenger aircraft. As experts from both sides of the Atlantic, Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, Member of the European Parliament, and Warren Miller, Air Cargo Manager at the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA), will dwell in detail on the security issues at stake in traffic between Europe and the USA.
Harald Zielinski, head of security at Lufthansa Cargo, underscores the urgent need for harmonising security rules in the airfreight industry: “There is no reason why the USA should not accept the high security standards that we do offer in Germany.“ The entire industry will profit, if standards are harmonised.
Jürgen Knipfer from Siemens AG will tell the conference how the changed security regime is affecting production companies and shippers. Professor Wolfgang Stölzle from St. Gallen University, representing the Joint Air Transportation Competence Center for Security, will outline ongoing research findings. His address will focus on better warehousing security at the transitional interface between different transport providers. Dr. Hermann Ries from the Smiths Heimann security technology company will talk about the security systems and methods available to logistics services providers in future.
The staging of a conference designed for diverse players in the supply chain is assuming growing importance, says Lufthansa Cargo security chief Harald Zieliniski. “Enhanced security requirements are an issue occupying the entire air cargo industry. Secure and efficient airfreight processes can be realised only when all in the industry work together,” he emphasises. “With the Lufthansa Cargo Security Conference, we are delighted to be offering an event that brings immediate value to our customers.”
