Commercial Information Circulars

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk

Ref : CR EIC 111/2/16

31 January 2004

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 30/2004

US: All-Cargo International Security Procedures for Foreign Air Carriers

The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced in the Federal Register (FR) notice of 27 January 2004 that in order to respond to vulnerabilities in air cargo security, it had issued on 17 November 2003 the All-Cargo International Security Procedures (ACISP) to foreign air carriers that perform all-cargo operations using aircraft with a maximum certificated takeoff weight of 12,500 pounds or more, to, from, within, or overflying the US that are not otherwise regulated under title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations (49 CFR) part 1546. A copy of the FR notice is appended (pdf format) to this circular for reference. Affected air carriers must implement the procedures set forth in the ACISP which includes requirements that the foreign air carrier must : -

1. conduct random inspections of certain air cargo;

2. verify the identities of persons with access to these flights;

3. ensure the security of the aircraft; and

4. have in place procedures to respond to certain threats.

2. For further details of the ACISP, interested parties may contact TSA official, Mr. Robert Baker at TSA-7, Office of Aviation Operations, Transportation Security Administration HQ, 3/F, East Building, 601 South 12th Street, Arlington, VA 22202-4220, USA; by phone at 1-571-227-3506; by facsimile at 1-571-227-1947; or by e-mail to Robert.Baker2@dhs.gov.

ENQUIRIES

3. For enquiries concerning the content of this circular, please contact the undersigned at 2398 5682.

Yours faithfully,

(Miss Sofie Chow)

for Director-General of Trade and Industry.

Note : While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the above information, the Department cannot guarantee this to be so and will not be held liable for any reliance placed on the same.