New TSA rules may be trouble for small air freight operations
Thousands of Miami-area businesses that serve as air freight intermediaries are likely to face problems when new U.S. Transportation Security Administration rules requiring security programs take effect March 15.
'On March 12, we all expect our phones to go crazy,' Jason Nimark, a TSA aviation security inspector specializing in regulatory inspections at Miami International Airport told a luncheon meeting of the Florida Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association. 'The airlines won't be able to accept cargo from companies without programs.'
TSA rules mandate that all indirect air carriers (IACs) must have security plans in place by March 15. The effective date was originally set for Dec. 1, but was postponed because officials realized there were too many companies that would be unable to have security programs in place.
Even with the extension, TSA officials estimate there will be many 'mom and pop' companies that will not be ready, Nimark said.
Under the new rules, indirect air carriers include anyone aside from the U.S. Postal Service that handles any kind of international air shipment. That would include truckers, warehouses, and all kinds of intermediaries. 'For everyone that has a program, there are probably five or six without programs,' he said.
While he predicted that most of the larger forwarding companies handling air freight will be ready, the Miami market is unusual in that local officials estimate some 4,000 companies — mostly small businesses — ship overseas by air.
The air cargo security rules have been in the works for three years. The final rule was published in May 2006, with a staggered implementation timetable. Rules for agents will take effect in June.
Nimark said companies that do not already have a security program in place won't be able to get one approved by the March 15 deadline. He estimated it would take companies 90 days from having a security program in place before it could be vetted and receive final approval.
The new air freight security rules include guidelines for placing customers into the known shipper program, as well as rules for background checks on the employees of IACs and a training program for employees.
Nimark said that anyone with access to cargo areas would have to be subjected to TSA-approved background checks.
Companies are still on their own in getting information on their shipper customers, but the TSA is in the process of developing a database of approved known shippers that would eventually be open to all intermediaries to check on shippers.