Supply chain security conference seeks to thwart crooks

A virtual conference on supply chain security and resilience will be held from November 8-12.

The event will be hosted by the Transport and Asset Protection Association (TAPA), which helps its members minimise supply chain losses, through training, networking and by setting industry standards.

Supply chain security sessions

Sessions include:

• Covid and air cargo: International Air Transport Association global head of cargo, Brendan Sullivan, talks about lessons learned from the pandemic.
• Oceanfreight - a world of turmoil: Sea-Intelligence CEO Alan Murphy looks at the drivers behind the highest ever levels of US demand, congestion, freight rates, delays and transit times. Murphy has 17 years’ experience in container shipping research and analysis.
• Driving to a green, safe future. This session is hosted by Raluca Marian, Director EU Advocacy at the International Road Transport Union (IRU). Key topics Marian will explore include driver shortages and the decarbonisation of road transport. The IRU is the voice of more than 3.5 million companies operating mobility and logistics services in over 100 countries.
  Digital logistics attacks. Cyber security experts Erik Heskes and Alwin Peppels review cases of cyber intrusions into transport companies, and explore prevention strategies.7
• Cargo theft. Europol senior specialist Michael Will probes hotspots for criminal activity and the criminal networks involved in such attacks. 
• Bogus transport operators. Mondelez security manager Andy Griffiths looks at how this problem - caused by EU driver shortages and reductions in available truck capacity - poses a very real threat to supply chains. Griffiths will also explain the importance of effective carrier due diligence checks.
• The challenges of vetting. Gilad Solnik, Amazon EMEA director of security and loss prevention, will review the challenges organisations face in vetting new employees and contractors, in the face of the increased risk of serious and organised crime.
• High-risk European routes. Risk expert Steve Bacot discusses how to find secure alternatives to high-risk European logistics being impacted by cargo thefts.

On its website, TAPA said of the event: “Today, we face increasing supply chain risk from more frequently occurring shocks and vulnerability, both of which cause significant economic damage. Building resilience in global supply chains is key to reducing risk, which will result in lower costs, reduced lead times, and unlocked cash-flow.”