Alaska Air Cargo announced on Tuesday that it implemented procedural changes to meet the Transportation Security Administration’s new screening requirements.
By August, the TSA is mandated to screen 100 percent of all U.S. air cargo. To ensure that the distribution of cargo is not impaired, the TSA has developed the Certified Cargo Screening Program (CCSP), a voluntary initiative designed to allow screening of cargo early in the air-cargo supply chain by a vetted, audited facility.
According to Alaska Air Cargo, the following changes to seafood shipments not pre-screened by shippers in the CCSP will go into effect on 15 February:
• Tender times will increase to four hours prior to departure for all flights to allow additional screening time
• Security screening surcharges will increase to USD 0.04 a pound and will be subject to a USD 2 minimum charge per shipment
• Seafood boxes requiring security screening must be free from exterior moisture to ensure accurate testing; Wet boxes and containers that have not been pre-screened may be rejected
Seafood shippers already certified in CCSP will be exempt from the security screening surcharge for pre-screened shipments. Additionally, the tender time for CCSP-certified shipments will remain two hours prior to departure.
“We strongly encourage all seafood shippers to consider joining the TSA’s Certified Cargo Screening Program,” said Joe Sprague, Alaska Air Cargo’s VP. “Receiving certified pre-screened freight is the best way to ensure the most efficient and highest quality shipment of seafood products to market.”
