Thieves are making off with less cargo and stealing less-valuable shipments, according to a new report by FreightWatch International, which provides supply-chain security services.
In 2014, losses in Europe, the Middle East and Africa as a result of cargo theft totaled $80m, according to the Transported Asset Protection Association. TAPA reported an average of three major cargo crimes occurred each day in 2014, targeting high-value, easy-to-steal goods in the supply chain, with an average loss of $221,000 each day.
Drop a pebble into a fishpond and it creates a tiny ripple. What starts as a local event instantly surges outward, causing a ring of disturbance that grows as it travels across the water. Beneath the surface, the goldfish scatter as a mallard above beats a rapid retreat. And for those who may be dozing on the shoreline, a chain of events has begun that forces change in every direction.
Four of the busiest airports in the country will get tightened cargo security this year to enhance screening of dangerous items, a move that raises concerns from business people who say the extra measure will make the current "slow" service even less efficient.