Schiphol Airport is tightening the security of its cargo operations amid the rise in response to rising incidents of theft involving the transport of air freight.

It said that last year all air cargo handling agents at Schiphol tightened the rules for access to their forecourts such that all driver visits to dnata, KLM Cargo, Menzies Aviation, Swissport, and Worldwide Flight Services' forecourts have to be notified in advance via e-Registration.

"At the beginning of 2024, this registration process will be tightened yet further with the implementation of the chain information system Secure Import," Schiphol said in a statement.

It explained that the ground handler will use Secure Import to advise a forwarder that a shipment is ready for collection.

The forwarder can then, within the same system, direct a transporter to pick up the shipment. The Secure Import system checks that these are the correct parties for this particular shipment and informs the ground handler who will be collecting it and when this will happen.

"Transport and logistics service providers are vulnerable to the undermining effect of criminal activity. Air freight, in particular, because it is mainly high-quality and expensive products that are transported by air," the airport said.

"Logistics companies and their employees are experiencing increasing problems due to criminal activities in the transport of cargo to and from Mainport Schiphol," it added, noting that logistics employees must be able to do their job without threats or intimidation.

Schiphol Airport said the new in Secure Import is that "sensitive shipment information will be shared only on a 'need to know' basis, preventing data manipulation by third parties."

It added that the new system has a built-in secure e-Visit key relating to the various process steps required for the transfer of a shipment.

A driver will be given the cargo only once the e-Visit Key is ok.

"The starting point for the development of Secure Import was to improve security in the air cargo chain whilst, at the same time, also attempting to improve efficiency," Schiphol said, adding that Secure Import is being developed in the Smart Cargo Mainport Program in close consultation with its future users.

With regard to modern and secure methods of data sharing, the hub noted that support and coordination are provided by the National Digital Infrastructure Logistics (DIL) program of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management.

"The introduction of Secure Import is one of the projects within SCMP and contributes to the course we are taking with the Cargo Community: steering on quality and predictability," said Joost van Doesburg, head of cargo at Schiphol Airport.

"With this new system, we can now even better protect goods transported via Schiphol against theft and undermining and remain an attractive main port favoured by shippers and forwarders to transport their high-quality cargo," he added.

Maarten van As, managing director of Air Cargo Netherlands, for his part, noted that the system is in response to a number of incidents of theft at Schiphol.

"Together with our partner SmartLOXS and Security Managers at Schiphol, we have developed a ten-step plan to counter theft in the air cargo chain," van As said.

"The ACN pass plays an important role in this. The development and implementation of Secure Import is the final step in the plan and will ensure that Schiphol Airport is a forerunner in the fight against cargo theft," he added.