U-Freight Hong Kong to offer off-airport screening
16 / 09 / 2019
Hong Kong-based U-Freight has become one of the first freight forwarders to have one of its logistics hubs certified by the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department (CAD) as a Regulated Air Cargo Screening Facility (RACSF).
The CAD launched its RACSF scheme in October 2018 to facilitate screening at off-airport sites, in line with ICAO policy of imposing security checks on all airfreight shipments by June 2021. The off-airport locations will also ease pressure on airport cargo terminals.
Two years ago, U-Freight installed an X-ray machine at its Golden Bear Industrial Centre in Hong Kong, giving staff experience in the scanning process, as well as helping to identify prohibited/suspect products inside e-commerce parcels.
A second, enhanced X-ray machine was installed in July 2019, which can scan consignments up to pallet size.
UFL’s chief executive officer, Simon Wong, said off-airport screening would allow cargo to be screened at warehouses or similar premises before transport to the airport and loading onto aircraft.
He added: “We were very keen to capitalise on this opportunity, so it is great news that we have become one of the first freight forwarders and logistics companies to have been accredited by CAD.”
The RACSF programme, which was developed after trade consultation, covers equipment, training and supervision of screening personnel and site security, post-screening handling and transportation of shipments.
Wong said: “As part of the application, we wrote a comprehensive set of working procedures for how we would operate as a RACSF, nominated two staff as accountable screening personnel within our RACSF, and also enrolled our staff on the relevant X-ray screening training courses.”
