TAPA launches updated cargo security standard

The Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA) has launched updated security requirements to help protect freight facilities and trucking operations from the escalating threat of cargo crime.

The 2020 revisions of the association’s Facility Security Requirements (FSR) and Trucking Security Requirements (TSR) aim to give TAPA’s Manufacturer and Logistics Service Provider members minimum standards to protect theft targeted goods.

TAPA said the standards had been revised in consultation with TAPA’s international members to address new and emerging threats – such as the significant growth in attacks on last mile deliveries.

Also, for the first time, TAPA’s FSR includes an Independent Audit Body (IAB) multi-site certification option.

This is designed to identify and promote operational efficiencies between sites so “best practices can be shared and to support a ‘team’ approach to obtaining and maintaining compliance with the TAPA Standard for security control and risk mitigation”.

As well as the TAPA FSR 2020 Standard, the association has also produced a new framework document to assist users and auditors in their understanding of the different certification methods that are available.

Paul Linders, chair of TAPA’s Worldwide Change Control Board, said: “We are seeing record growth in the number of TAPA Security Standards certifications all over the world. This is not only due to the efficiencies in using an industry standardized solution for security measures, but also the need to address the increasing threat of cargo theft and the severe implications this has for victims. Globally, we are recording intelligence on thousands of cargo loss incidents in our incident database each year.

“Supply chains are often seen as an easy target by both organised crime groups and opportunist criminals. The success of our Security Standards in reducing cargo losses is down to one very important fact; they have been created by the industry, for the industry and are delivered by TAPA, the world’s leading Security Expert Network for everyone in the supply chain.

“Our sole aim is to increase the resilience of supply chains both for our members and the industry-at-large. We are confident that TAPA’s 2020 FSR and TSR Standards are the best security requirements we have ever created as well as our most practical, flexible and cost-efficient standards to date. We expect this to lead to an acceleration in the number of TAPA certifications globally over the next three years.”