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Monday, November 08, 2010 New security technology for air transport could cost billions The technology exists to safeguard the world's air transport system against threats like the Yemen-based mail bombs, but the cost may be too high to be practical. Analysts warn that the cost of screening every piece of air cargo in a bid to prevent terrorists from downing airliners might bankrupt international shipping companies, hobble already weakened airlines and still not provide full protection. "In a worst case, it would stop world trade," said James Halstead, a longtime consultant with the Aviation Economics firm. "UPS and FedEx would probably go bust. We'd have a full-disaster scenario." Many countries already conduct extensive checks of cargo, Halstead said. But the increasingly sophisticated technology used by terrorist groups makes further refinements extremely difficult. The problem is compounded by the frequent use of passenger flights to carry cargo, some of which has not been properly screened. Some next-generation machines can pick up traces of chemical explosives, but the costs are extremely high. Swabbing packages individually for explosives is considered the most effective way to scan, but that's not a practical option for the millions of packages that crisscross the globe every day. A comprehensive switch to these swabbing devices would create massive delays of everything from clothing to iPods. Relatively inexpensive cargo transport would become a thing of the past, with draconian implications for world trade. The cost of these machines would likely be in the billions of dollars, and would be economically impossible for some countries. -Daily Finance For the full story: www.dailyfinance.com More Newswire stories Tech summit focuses on eco-supply chain and the cloud Cargotec delivers 12 terminal tractors to Calif. Cartage Software provider goes multi-carrier with SAP U.S. to relax export controls of high-tech to India	Click to browse past stories on these topics: Logistics Ports & Infrastructure Economic Outlook Environmental Impact Technology
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New security technology for air transport could cost billions