Increased security precautions

Following recent incidents involving the international transportation of items containing illegal explosive devices, transportation companies, governments and international organisations are implementing additional measures including more stringent security and screening procedures

Therefore, please be aware of activities that customers can take to mitigate possible security risks, as well as activities that TNT Express is taking on our customers’ behalf.

 

Updated UK restrictions on shipment of printing equipment


With effect 10 December, restrictions on the carriage by air of shipments containing printer ink or toner cartridges weighing more than 500 grammes were removed and replaced with a prohibition on printing equipment including printers, photocopiers and fax machines with an ink or toner cartridge weighing more than 500 grammes installed in the equipment in such a manner as is to make the equipment operational.

Please be advised, all printers travelling from, to or via the UK must have any ink or toner cartridge removed and shipped as a separate package. It is not permitted to have the ink and toner cartridge within the carton containing the printer, copier or fax machine.

This prohibition is in place until 10 June, 2011 and applies only to shipments by air (Express and Economy Express services where air transport is used).


TNT Customer security precautions


Please take a few small but effective steps to further ensure the safe, secure and timely transportation of shipments:

  • Provide a precise, full and accurate description of goods on the TNT  consignment note, for all shipments carried by TNT, even when the shipment is transported within the EU or other free trade zones 
  • Provide full sender and receiver details on the TNT consignment note. This includes the full name and address of all involved parties (including paying and delivery customer if different from sender and receiver). 
  • Comply with relevant new and existing national and international regulatory requirements for transportation security 
  • Be vigilant to all matters involving the security of items transported, including checks on suspicious goods, packages, consignee names and addresses 
  • Be aware that new regulations have come into effect regarding the transportation of ink and toner cartridges both individually or as a component part of printers, photocopiers or fax machines. This restriction does not apply to all countries, but it is essential that you make the appropriate checks prior to arranging any collection of these items. 

 

UK security measures

As a result of measures introduced by the UK authorities on November 2nd, the following restrictions apply to TNT shipments until further notice:

  • Shipments from Yemen and Somalia destined to or transiting the UK are suspended. Shipments destined for Yemen and Somalia picked up in the UK are unaffected
  • Shipments containing individual ink or toner cartridges weighing more than 500 grams cannot be shipped via air (Express and Economy Express services where air transport is used) to, from or through the UK.

US security measures

The US Transportation Security Administration issued additional measures for the airline industry and freight forwarders on November 8th to increase airline cargo security for all inbound aircraft to the United States. TNT advises its customers that shipments consigned to the US may be affected by transit time delays as a result of the following directives, which are being enforced until further notice:

  • A full embargo on all cargo originating from, transferring from or transiting through Yemen or Somalia
  • A complete ban on cargo considered to represent a heightened risk and destined for or transiting through the United States via passenger aircraft
  • All cargo identified as ‘high risk’ will require additional security measures and will only be permitted on all-cargo aircraft and not on passenger aircraft
  • Toner and ink cartridges are subject to enhanced security restrictions based on government and airline directives
  • This security program will also impact international mail packages inbound to the United States.

TNT security actions


In addition to full compliance with all new national and international aviation, air cargo and other transportation regulatory requirements, TNT Express is taking the following actions to mitigate security risks:

  • Application of additional measures in handling the shipments of new and unknown shippers
  • Enhancement of the employee and partner security vetting and screening procedures
  • Implementation of additional screening measures for air freight
  • Exhaustive threat and risk assessment of all TNT and partner facilities – air and road
  • Reinforcement of the security awareness training programme for all operational staff involved in the transportation of goods and documents
  • Stepping-up of the identification and security risks mitigation programs relating to TNT customers’ shipments
  • Implementation of additional security procedures for third party/transportation companies shipping on behalf of their own customers through TNT

In case you have any questions regarding the security precautions we are asking our customers to take or the enhanced security activities we are taking, please contact your local TNT customer service or account representative.

3rd November 2010

Statement on suspicious package investigation

TNT on 2 November detected the presence of a suspicious package onboard one of its cargo planes, operating between Athens and Liege, Belgium. TNT Airways instructed the crew to divert to Bologna, Italy, and warned security officials. The plane landed and was unloaded safely. TNT is fully cooperating with the authorities as they investigate the case. We cannot comment on the investigation or on TNT's security procedures. TNT applies strict security measures to protect its employees, network and customers' consignments. With respect to security, we actively engage with transportation officials, industry peers and customers.

Yemen - 31 October 2010

Sunday 31 October 2010: Screening & Embargo of shipments from Yemen

TNT has put an embargo on all shipments from Yemen, as requested by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and fully cooperates with any required examination of shipments.
 
Shipments originating from Yemen in the same time frame are being quarantined in Dubai or Liege until cleared.
 
Shipments originating from Yemen that are handled by TNT are always pass through Dubai, where they are screened and xrayed. TNT does not operate dedicated flights to/from Yemen.
 
As an international air carrier with inbound flights to the U.S., TNT Airways applies strict security measures in cooperation with transportation security officials.
 
Summary of recent developments as at 30 October 2010
 
Officials in the U.K. and Dubai have intercepted two packages originating from Yemen, which were bound for Chicago, United States. Both packages contained explosives. One package, found at the UK's East Midlands Airport, contained a "manipulated" toner cartridge with wires and a circuit board on it, a law enforcement source said. A similar package set to be shipped on a cargo plane was discovered in Dubai, the law enforcement source and Dubai officials said.
 
The discovery triggered examinations of three cargo planes that landed in Philadelphia and in Newark, New Jersey. An airline passenger plane was escorted by fighter jets to New York because of concerns about a package from Yemen on board. Nothing suspicious was found on the planes, according to the FBI.

For the latest international news: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/