For ports around the world, the need to have cargo scanning equipment has become a regulatory necessity in the fight against prohibitive goods being transported between countries, while also guaranteeing national security from terrorist threats.
However, ensuring that the cargo security scanning equipment is always well maintained and at the top of operational efficiency can be a constant challenge and is an area underestimated by the customer, resulting in the systems falling into disrepair and not being used sufficiently. There is also a need for compliance now and in the future and consideration of costs.
Not only does equipment need to be up and running, but staff need to be trained, meaning that keeping up with constantly evolving technological developments while improving service can turn into a management headache. This can be made easier with the expertise of a security supplier, trained and experienced operations staff, and having maintenance work carried out without needing to track down the parts and labour required.
In the past, customers would select a consortium for the contract and, under the management of a developer, each of the individual parts of the project would be put together by different companies before being handed over to the end customer as the full package in a ready-to-use format. The equipment, under a build-operate-transfer contract for 10 years, is then fully managed and maintained by the developer, who is responsible for ensuring that it works at full operational efficiency.
This method has, however, led to problems as the nature of cargo security scanning requires technically advanced equipment to be maintained to a high level by expertly trained operators. Customers have struggled to maintain equipment at optimum efficiency due to the need to invest time and resources to keep up with the software upgrades, and the availability of replacement parts and installation. Additionally, due to the costs involved and with customers facing ongoing budget cuts, the equipment can appear to be run down and often doesn’t last the full 10 years it should, resulting in slow throughput as it is not working at its full operational efficiency.
Value add
As a result, port managers have been looking to security providers to offer a greater scope of services to meet their business demands and challenges. Alongside this, developing countries are being faced with increased regulation which has meant they must adopt security scanning procedures from scratch.
The challenge of bringing everything together while meeting regulations can be daunting for those just starting out as they may not know where to start when choosing the right equipment and how to maintain operational efficiency, including adequate training of operators. This is where with the help of a security provider, such tasks can be made easier.
With the use of security screening as a service, the customer is able to go directly to the manufacturer and have a consultation with experts regarding their specifications. This means they will be given the advice that they need to make informed decisions and understand what will work best for their environment. Working with a scanning provider means that the equipment can then be installed, maintained and operated by their expert engineers. This removes the time spent on hiring the staff needed and training them in all areas of the cargo scanning process.
Here, any repairs or upgrades will be carried out by the service provider, meaning that the cargo operator will not suffer any prolonged periods of downtime due to broken equipment, thus increasing efficiency and ensuring maximum levels of throughput.
Implementing security screening as a service – similar to the managed ‘pay-as-you-use’ packages offered by the IT industry in recent years – allows port authorities and operators to focus on commercial operations, leaving security and compliance in the hands of specialists. Working with a security operator means it will manage all the pieces of the port security puzzle, while maintaining existing operations to implement and integrate new technology.
Additionally, many ports may not have the capital expenditure available to purchase necessary equipment; a managed service model can remove this problem. For a fixed service fee ports can have a full, ready to use scanning solution that removes the need for capital expenditure. Dealt with by the customer through one direct point of contact, the provider can reduce headcount by providing experienced staff, supply parts for the equipment and improve the whole service, all at lower cost and with less management headaches. It is also possible for them to make a real return on their investment by adopting a ‘pay-per-scan’ process.
For those countries adopting a security scanning procedure for the first time, offering security scanning as a service is the ideal way of obtaining all the equipment and expertise required to ensure a high level of service and achieve greater throughput of cargo in a shorter period of time – ultimately improving levels of operating efficiency.
Andrew Goldsmith is vice president, global marketing at Rapiscan Systems.