International Air Freight

jaschmidt | Jan 15, 2010 |

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International air freight refers to cargo movement that crosses territorial borders and will require compliance with international rules and regulations in order to deliver the cargo shipment with as little problem and in the fastest time possible. In order to be considered as reliable and competent international air freight companies should possess certain international certificates of accreditation that will attest to their competence and expertise in handling the international transport of goods. Such accreditations may include the following:

UL and SGS ISO9000:2000 Certification

Accreditation with this organization indicates that the business organization has the capability to meet the demands of customers in a global market, by providing products or services that meet international standard requirements. This certification requirement is often expected from companies who want to compete in the international trading scene. Henceforth, service providers of international air freight who carry certified accreditation with the UL and SGS ISO9000:2000 are considered as reliable business support organization for international trade.

TAPA Class A Certified

Players in the global market also look for this certification in the transport companies they utilize especially from those that provide international air freight services. TAPA stands for Transported Asset Protection Association. A Class A rating means a company had scored well in TAPA Freight Security Requirements (FSR) assessments. A TAPA Class A Certified international air freight service provider applies efficient security and safety measures over the assets or cargo they undertake to transfer internationally.

In addition, service providers with TAPA Class A certification means they have also achieved high marks for their logistics facilities. This ensures that the cargo to be delivered will meet the expected time that the goods are supposed to be successfully transferred to its recipient or consignee. This ability can be manifested through the international air freight company's strategically located distribution centers who also pass TAPA's assessments.

C-TPAT Certification

C-TPAT stands for Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism, which is a voluntary program of the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) open to all components of the supply chain particularly the international air freight service providers. This validation means that an international air freight company maintains a cooperative relationship with US Border security. It involves submitting their cargo for pre-inspection prior to shipment. After the pre-inspection has been conducted their cargo is considered as cleared from all subsequent inspections and will be sealed tight using the CTPAT compliant high security seals, labels and locking devices to avoid any tampering while the pre-inspected goods are in transit. Getting clearance from customs will be faster since the contents of the containers have all been pre-inspected by Customs and Border Patrol.

Certified Cargo Screening Facility

This certification is similar to the C-TPAT certification but provided by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). It also encourages the international air freight service provider to submit their cargo shipments for 100% pre-screening before the goods are loaded on board the carrier. This will also save time in moving the goods from point of origin to point of destination.

IATA

A certificate of accreditation from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) means that the international air freight company has the sufficient financial resources to carry-out their international air freight undertakings as well as the competence and expertise to handle the movement of the cargo shipment.

A business organization who relies heavily in international air freight services as a way of keeping an edge over his competitors in the international market, makes it a point to look for all these certificates of accreditation. This gives the shipper the peace of mind that his merchandise is being transported globally safely and efficiently.