In response to the International Civil Aviation Organisation's (ICAO) new policy direction, a new screening process will need to be implemented by 30 June 2021, affecting all air exports from Hong Kong.
Under the new policy, announced in September 2016, consignors will either have to be approved by the Aviation Security Authority as a “validated” Known Consignor (KC) or become an “unknown consignor” with all cargo subject to 100% security screening prior to being loaded on to a commercial aircraft.
The deadline for full implementation of the policy (as imposed by ICAO) is 30 June 2021.
In order to meet the new policy requirements, the Hong Kong government has suggested the following transitional arrangement:
| Transition Phase | Date | % of cargoes (by weight) required to be screened by RAs (for known cargoes consigned by Woodland) |
|---|---|---|
| Current screening requirement (Quality Control Requirement) under Regulated Agent Regime | - | 1% |
| Phase 1 | Nov 2019 – Feb 2020 | 25% |
| Phase 2 | Mar 2020 – Aug 2020 | 40% |
| Phase 3 | Sep 2020 – Feb 2021 | 70% |
| Phase 4 | Mar 2021 onwards | 100% |
Under the scheme, the Hong Kong government allows freight forwarders and shared warehouse operators to conduct cargo screening operations in their premises through registering to become Regulated Air Cargo Screening Facilities (RACSF).
Source: Woodland Group
