Important information about packing goods for air freight

19/08/2015

Due to more stringent security procedures and rules for goods shipped as air freight, shipments are unfortunately stopped at security checkpoints more often than before. This may result in extra costs for the consignor due to the additional inspections and resulting delivery delays.

Shipments from “Unknown Consignors” are primarily screened using X-ray machines. Certain types of goods cannot be X-rayed using the equipment available at Norwegian airports, e.g. high-density good such as metals, liquids and the like. These types of goods are subject to additional inspections through ETD (Explosive Trace Detection/Sniffing), visual checks or physical inspections to make sure the shipment is safe for air transport.

Please note that sealed packaging and certain metal compounds will not pass security even with additional inspections. These types of goods may be rejected in their entirety by security companies and the shipment may be denied shipment from Norwegian airports. This can be solved by having shipments pass security at one of the larger airports in Europe, where they have better equipment available. In most cases, this will lead to delays and additional costs.

For goods that are palletised with a covering, the outer covering must be sealed so that it is impossible to insert unwanted objects into the goods without breaking the seal, tearing holes in the plastic, piercing the tape, etc. It is important that the covering is also sealed at the base, for example a cardboard sheet or a wooden board can be placed under the goods on the surface of the pallet to prevent unauthorized access from below.

Due to the limitations of the X-ray machine (max. measurements (w x h) 175 cm x 175 cm, weight 3,000 kg) larger pieces and high-density goods packaged in a sealed covering (excl. wooden boxes) must pass an ETD inspection. Such consignments should be delivered with a sealed inspection hatch to streamline inspections and prevent delays. Inspection hatches can be sealed (glued/stapled) with the consignor’s unique stamp, inscription, etc. so they can be opened and closed quickly and easily.

In some cases, you may want to consider packing a consignment as several pieces instead of as one large pallet, e.g. if you have different kinds of goods with different densities. This is because the goods can influence each other during the X-ray process, which will in turn cause security personnel to initiate an alternative security inspection method.

Shipments stopped at security checkpoints because of packaging or because they cannot be inspected with an X-ray machine, must be opened or inspection holes must be made in the packaging. This is done at the consignor’s expense at the airport by the airline’s handling agent together with the responsible security company.

SR Group therefore recommends all our customers and consignors with regular air freight and the cargo types mentioned above to apply to the Civil Aviation Authority of Norway to be a “Known Consignor”. Consignments may then be delivered to airlines without having to pass through normal airport security inspections.

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Her kan du se en oversikt over kjøreopplegget rundt jul og nyttår for både innland og utlandstrafikk.
New regulations for customs processing from 1 January 2023. As your freight forwarder we'll need to obtain detailed information about the goods well in advance of arrival in order to start the customs procedure.