CNS 2018: Identifying threats, vulnerabilities of today’s supply chain

PALM SPRINGS, CALIF. – Yesterday, Pauline Leary (pictured) of Smiths Detection gave a presentation here at the CNS Partnership Conference on the industry’s latest innovations in threat detection at ports and borders, an aviation industry phenomenon that was catapulted into the mainstream by the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

Terrorist activity, while rare (as far as supply chain disruptions go), is unfortunately not unheard of in aviation; incidents such as the 2016 Istanbul Atatürk Airport attack and the 2016 Brussels Bombings serve as proof. In terms of a risk mitigator’s perspective, these are risks that should be taken seriously and planned for.

“When we’re talking about modern threats… we’re addressing how these events get perpetuated by employees,” Leary says. Operations managers should be considering the movement of cargo at every step through the supply chain. “You have to worry about how flowers are getting into a hotel, for instance.”

The goal of threat detection devices would not only be a boon to general safety but could potentially speed up the process of screening cargo, making operations more efficient. Leary described various types of modern scanning systems currently being used, such and-held laser devices that detect the presence of dangerous chemicals with better accuracy, as well as stationary, 360-degree-rotating circular gantry systems.

This technology, Leary said, has the potential to significantly upgrade, and even speed up, traditional screening of parcels or cargo. “We can identify where those vulnerabilities are,” she said of the technology’s potential for success, but added, “We have to make sure that not only do the systems work, but that they work in the environment in which they were intended.”