Summary: This is review on reference projects / specifying reusable outputs, on FP7-project IMCOSEC. The research in IMCOSEC (Integrated approach to improve the supply chain for container transport and integrated security simultaneously) was on following two conflicting trends in years before the project started: the elimination of trade barriers to ensure free trade, and increasing security demands to counter the threat of terrorism mainly. The author of the review is Marcus Engler, ISL. The original document can be found in CORE e-library coded as CORE3001. More information on the project at: http://cordis.europa.eu/search/result_en?q=IMCOSEC

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The research project IMCOSEC set out to create a new approach to ensure the security of supply chains whilst reconciling this with business efficiency. The needs of transporters have often been neglected in previous efforts, which have focused on the development of technologies to increase security. IMCOSEC aimed not to introduce as much security as possible, but rather as much as is needed, taking into account practicality and acceptability. Focusing on maritime and containerised transport modalities, analyses of the supply chain in various major global transport corridors unveiled gaps in security information. By considering all stakeholders’ needs, plus cultural and human factors, a roadmap for target processes and suitable technologies that could be implemented along the supply chain was defined. Reaching common agreement on risks and minimising the impacts in cost and time for commercial operators helped ensure there was broad acceptance of the technologies proposed. The roadmap was created and finalised in multiple workshops with a broad network of experts from different fields and regions.

The IMCOSEC roadmap provides a feasible approach for demonstration of security in supply chains considering the needs of stakeholders to minimize impact of cost and practical time efforts for commercial operators and enterprises. It heads towards a win-win situation between industry and supervision in order to have the level of security is at an optimum level balancing effectiveness with practicality within applicable regulatory frameworks. A demonstration should develop and provide solutions independent from transport modes, technology and stakeholders taking major cargo types into account. Following key elements should be considered:

• Consignors and consignees from major (SE-Asia, Europe, US) and/or emerging economies should be included as partners or equivalent.
• Measures provided should be reasonable, practicable and suitable for stakeholders ranging from SME’s to global players.
• Demonstration should focus on existing technologies and other measures and processes.
• The sovereignty of data must be maintained.

The IMCOSEC Roadmap relevance to CORE: The Roadmap could support CORE Demonstration Work packages (especially EU-US) and at Education and Training since the roadmap contains opinions from a large group EU and US transport stakeholders. Results were gained in small moderated discussion groups and are transferrable to other parts in the world. Named main ideas are to consider all stakeholders of a specific supply chain, so also the consignors and consignees in order to get support to and understanding for a project. Furthermore the individual people are to be involved in demos and also cultural aspects of regions for success. The container security as the exchange of goods is vital on a global scale, but it should be kept an eye on the costs of security for the involved business. Even in demonstration standardization in particular for technical devices should be used for an effective roll out of the productive system. This and more information can be found in greater detail in the IMCOSEC Roadmap.

IMCOSEC Deliverables – Dissemination Level PU: Public:

• IMCOSEC Result In Brief.pdf
• IMCOSEC Result Summary.pdf
• IMCOSEC Strategic Roadmap.pdf

Further information is available from the CORDIS web-site (project web-site is closed):

http://cordis.europa.eu/search/result_en?q=IMCOSEC

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