The Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA) is launching a global campaign to double the number of TAPA-certified warehouse facilities to over 2,000 in Europe, the Americas and Asia Pacific over the next three years.

The association wants to make a ‘quantum leap’ in the number of trucking companies – including air cargo providers of road feeder services – operating in compliance with the Association’s Security Standards.

The threat of cargo crime continues to increase across the globe. TAPA's Europe, Middle East and Africa Incident Information Service (IIS) recorded 1,102 cargo crime incidents in 2014. Only 33% of these thefts from the supply chain reported a loss figure but the total value of these crimes alone was nearly €75m, producing an average loss per incident of €205,624.

Data for the first half of 2015 rose 24% year on year, with incidents recorded in 19 countries in the region and average losses per crime of €149,635.

Tony Lugg, chairman of TAPA Asia Pacific, noted: “The incidents and losses captured by our IIS intelligence tool are for industry-wide cargo crimes and not only for TAPA members. Our research tells us that TAPA members are far less likely to be victims of cargo crime because of the measures they have introduced.

“Nonetheless, there is absolutely no room for complacency. Cargo crime is growing massively all over the world and remains significantly under-reported.

“Companies also need to understand that it is not just high-value goods that are being targeted by organised criminal gangs but just about every kind of product that has a resale value on the black market.”

TAPA was formed to tackle the multi-billion euro problem of cargo thefts from the supply chain. It has over 800 member companies globally, including many of the world’s biggest manufacturers and logistics service providers as well as leading SME freight forwarding and transport operators, and other stakeholders.

TAPA’s independently-audited Facility Security Requirements (FSR) and Trucking Security Requirements (TSR) have been developed by supply chain security professionals and logistics specialists.

The newly launched campaign includes a new self-certification programme for TAPA’s entry level FSR Class ‘C’ and TSR Level ‘3’ Security Standards. TAPA is providing free training for members’ in-house auditors and once this is successfully completed they can undertake their own audits to demonstrate compliance with Class ‘C’ and Level ‘3’.