Security Measures in Transport and Logistics Management, Essay Example

Transportation and logistics management continues to face new challenges as economic, social and political facets of business transform through the cycles of business. As markets introduce new technologies, processes and procedures, they expose themselves to a number of variables that influence the security of the transportation and logistics channels (Essig, Hu?lsmann, Kern, & Klein-Schmeink, 2013). These security issues affect all aspects of the supply and logistics chain from the producer to the consumer. The government has developed a number of strategies that are geared towards assisting government agencies identify and isolate threats in time.

With the threat of terrorism growing with each passing day, the transportation and logistics is a high-value target as not only is it essential in the transportation of goods from one place to another, it an integral sector of the economy. The government’s most notable initiative to this effect is the Customs-Trade Partnership against Terrorism (C-TPAT). C-TPAT is US Customs and Border Protection run voluntary program that develops cooperative relationships between government agencies and businesses to improve the security of the supply chain. The Certified Cargo Screening Program (CSSP) run by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is another significant measure by the government (Plunkett, 2012). This program ensures that all outbound cargo from the United States is screened.

In the continuous problem of improvement, a fragmented supply chain is one of the most significant problems. As the supply chain is divided into numerous players, integrating processes and standards would require extensive efforts from all market players. While the measures employed by the government have been largely effective, they significantly affect transportation and logistics management. Initiatives such C-TPAT aim to develop a well-connected and integrated supply chain. This would reduce the interruption of business in the case of a potential threat to the supply chain.

References

Essig, M., Hu?lsmann, M., Kern, E.-M., & Klein-Schmeink, S. (2013). Supply Chain Safety Management : Security and Robustness in Logistics. Berlin: Springer.

Plunkett, J. W. (2012). Plunkett’s transportation, supply chain & logistics industry almanac 2012 : the only comprehensive guide to the business of transportation, supply chain & logistics management (8th ed.). Houston: Plunkett Research.