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Supply chain security refers to efforts to enhance the security of the supply
chain, the transport and logistics system for the world's cargo. It combines
traditional practices of supply chain management with the security requirements
driven by threats such as terrorism, piracy, and theft.
Typical supply chain security activities include:
Credentialing of participants in the supply chain
Screening and validating of the contents of cargo being shipped
Advance notification of the contents to the destination country
Ensuring the security of cargo while in-transit via the use of locks and
tamper-proof seals
Inspecting cargo on entry
Key initiatives
There are a number of supply chain security initiatives in the United States and
abroad, including:
The Customs Trade Partnership against Terrorism (C-TPAT), a voluntary
compliance program for companies to improve the security of their
corporate supply chains.
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The World Customs Organization (WCO) adopted the Framework of
Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade in 2005, which consists
of supply chain security standards for Customs administrations including
Authorized Economic Operator(AEO) programs.
The Container Security Initiative(CSI), a program led by U.S. Customs
and Border Protection in the Department of Homeland Security focused
on screening containers at foreign ports.
The Global Container Control Programme(CCP), a joint United Nations
Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)/World Customs Organization
(WCO) initiative working to establish effective container controls at
select ports across the globe with the aim to prevent trafficking of drugs,
chemicals and other contraband and to facilitate trade by strengthening
cooperation between the customs, trade and enforcement communities.
The Global Trade Exchange, a DHS data-mining program designed to
collect financial information about shipments, with the objective of
determining safety of cargo shipments are safe.
Efforts for countries around the world to implement and enforce the
International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code), an
agreement of 148 countries that are members of the International
Maritime Organization (IMO).
Pilot initiatives by companies in the private sector to track and monitor
the integrity of cargo containers moving around the world using
technologies such as RFID and GPS.
The International Organization for Standardization have released a series
of Standards for the establishment and management of supply chain
security. ISO/PAS 28000 Specification for Security Management
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Systems for the Supply Chain, offers public and private enterprise an
international high-level management standard that enables organisations
to utilise a globally consistent management approach to applying supply
chain security initiatives.