Jan/Feb 2004

Automatic load data capture and tracking are the latest weapons in the fight against cargo theft. Sharon Clancy looks at some of the leading systems

Shrinkage (or, to put it more bluntly, theft) is an acknowledged problem in distribution operations - whether it is a result of organised crime or is casual and opportunistic. It is reported to be especially rampant in the retail sector, where items are often small and light, and thus easily concealed.

"The transport element of the supply chain is where goods are at most risk of being stolen," says Mark Hayward, sales director for Unisto's Encrypta load-seal products. Loads are vulnerable even before vehicles have left the depot, he warns. "Most multi-depot own-account operators run two or three trailers to each tractor unit, and loaded trailers are often parked in the depot. Unless they are sealed, they need routine surveillance."

Once out of the depot, the load is completely under the control of the driver. "If it is possible to access the load in transit, there is always the risk of theft of some or all of the load."

 

This is why more and more companies are insisting on knowing the whereabouts of goods within the supply chain. "Retailers rely heavily on getting the right goods to the right store in the right quantity at the right time," Hayward points out. "If a hundred boxes are ordered and only ninety-eight are delivered, that has repercussions all along the supply chain.

Another factor is that many retailers now buy goods at ex-factory prices and then arrange the transport themselves. This may help maximise fleet utilisation, since the retailer's outward-bound vehicles can collect inward-bound loads on the return trip; but the downside is that the retailer will then be responsible for the cargo in transit, and thus liable for any losses. All the more need, then, for monitoring it all the way.

Two key developments are helping to improve cargo security. Radio frequency developments are making depot-based automatic load data capture feasible, and telematics are making real-time monitoring of in-transit goods easier to achieve.

Load security

A mechanical seal on the cargo doors is a reliable and cost-effective method of preventing causal tampering with the load. The receiving depot can easily see that the load is intact or, if the seal is broken, that the doors have been opened in transit. What it cannot say is when and by whom, or whether the opening was authorised. Did the driver legitimately open the doors or, for example, did someone open the doors while the driver was taking a break - and in fact steal part of the load?

Now there is a new generation of electronic seals which combine load-seal number generation with automatic data downloading. Unisto's Crypta Data Tag seals have a unique electronic identification number to cross-reference with the trailer or vehicle number. The seal automatically generates a four-digit random number every time the load door is closed, and records the time and date.

The seal holds details of the past fifty seal numbers, and can also be programmed to include data such as consignment or run number. The date and time of any subsequent door openings is recorded in memory, and since closing the door starts the sequence again with a new seal number, the integrity of the load can be easily checked. There is an audit trail - not just of the number and times of deliveries made, but also of the times between deliveries and the delivery duration. Any suspicious door openings that do not correspond with the plan can also be investigated.

Each Crypta Data Tag has an embedded read-write RF capability, which enables data on the vehicle and its load to be downloaded electronically at the depot via a 433MHz RF link. "The addition of RF to our seals is a major advance in usability," Hayward says. "It means full, automatic checks can be done in a few seconds, whereas otherwise a guard would have to spend a couple of minutes walking around the vehicle, in all weathers, checking the correct tractor is pulling the right trailer and it is secure.

"Customers report major decreases in congestion and queuing times at gatehouses, and vehicle throughput increases sixfold. There are also savings in the number of guards that have to be on duty."

Crypta Data Tag can also be used to make secure dead-drop deliveries to unmanned depots. Once the seal number and vehicle data are downloaded at the departure gate, that data is held on computer. When the vehicle arrives at its destination, the seal details are transmitted again and compared with the stored details. If the number is unchanged then the computer instructs the barrier to rise. If the seal details have changed, the computer signals there is a problem.

Rather than simply deny the driver entry, the system can also be configured so that the computer automatically dials the appropriate manager, who can discuss the problem with the driver. So it may still be possible to do the delivery. It also helps remove the possibility of human error in signing delivery documents or collusion between drivers and staff."

For real-time cargo monitoring, the seals can also communicate via a hard-wired RS232 port with an on-board communications system.

Rival OEM's Secureseal system also offers RF-downloading of trailer and load data. The Secureseal Data system combines a mechanical lock and random number generator with a battery operated RF transmitter that communicates with a gatehouse receiver.

"The seal is mechanical, and doesn't depend on batteries, so it's not vulnerable to electronic tampering," says Steve Tickner, security product manager. "It can't be bypassed, and it is reusable."

The latch mechanism on the cargo doors is secured with a steel cable, then threaded through or around the handle and reinserted into the Secureseal. Closing the seal generates the random number, which is displayed mechanically. There is also a version for rental trailers, in which a mounting plate is fitted to the hired vehicle. The system can be integrated with a vehicle tracking system to provide en-route alarms of tampering, together with a time and position stamp.

OEM's latest development is Secureseal System - a Web-based trailer management and utilisation tool that is designed to help fleet operators keep track of where their trailers are. It can also provide fleet management information on exactly which trailers are in which depot, and whether they are available for use or awaiting a service. Trailer information is automatically downloaded via an RF link whenever the trailers enter and leave depots.

Another expert in physical load security, Stockport-based Maple Technology, is also diversifying into real-time systems. Maple is well known for its load-area security systems, which include automatic locks that engage when doors or shutters are slammed shut; but it has also been one of the pioneers of RFID technology for checking the status of the load.

Maple's Seal IT electronic load security system uses RFID-enabled smartcards. Everyone from loading staff to drivers and managers is given a programmable RFID card which authorises access to a load or loads.

These cardholder IDs are automatically stored in Seal IT's event memory, along with time, the date and openings and closings of load doors. The actual Seal IT vehicle lock incorporates an easily-read load-status LED display. There are three lights: green if the load is sealed, red for unauthorised opening and yellow if has been unsealed but resealed by an authorised operative or driver together (the ID of that person is also saved). Seal IT can also be combined with Maple's mechanical SlamSecure for doors and Freightlock for roller shutters.

Telematics thwarts thieves

Tracking vehicles has always been a means to an end, whether it is increased operational efficiency or better supply chain visibility. A less public, but arguably more important, function is increased load security: if you know where the vehicle is, you know where the cargo is. Vehicle tracking systems can be configured to alert you if the vehicle goes off its pre-set route or, by geofencing delivery addresses, if it fails to arrive at a destination on time. Once you know something is amiss, you can investigate the reason.

If you want to know more about silent tracking of vehicles and loads, check out issue 7 of m.logistics where there is a full report on the available systems.

Eurowatch, Navtrak and Tracker are three leading stolen load and vehicle recovery systems, although many other tracking systems also have vehicle recovery functionality. These three, however, are distinctive in operating covertly, monitoring movements and springing into action if they detect that something is amiss. NavTrak's system can also be used on trailers, where it has a rechargeable battery with a 14-day reserve. The unit drops automatically into battery-preserve mode, waking up periodically to report its position.

For cross-border load tracking, there is Eurowatch whose parent Tri-Mex has specialised in freight security and anti-hijack services for high-value loads. Tri-Mex works with major police forces across Europe, relaying stolen vehicle position information to the relevant police force. In its first six months of operation Eurowatch helped combat crime six times, recovering goods and vehicles worth millions of euros in Sweden, Germany, Italy, France and Spain.

Making a virtue out of necessity

The temperature-controlled logistics sector has been at the forefront of real-time monitoring of in-transit goods, partly because of the legal necessity to record in-transit load temperatures.

The electronic control systems introduced to regulate load-bay temperature more closely can also record actual temperature, and this feature has been exploited by equipment manufacturers such as Thermo King to deliver more real-time load information. Thermo King's R:COM eliminates the need to download data from the refrigeration unit by cables or laptops, instead using a depot-based RF link. If the load temperature exceeds pre-set parameters, the depot can be alerted via a text message to allow action to be taken before the load is spoiled. These real-time alerts are useful on long journeys, where action can be taken before the load is spoiled.

The downloaded data can be viewed through FleetWatch, Thermo King's Windows-based software. FleetWatch analyses the data automatically and produces concise, customised reports which are automatically sent to the user's desktop at specified intervals. Exception reports can also be generated; these help the customers identify any areas of concern within the cold chain. Any alarms generated are reported immediately as a flashing icon or audible signal on the office PC screen.

What next?

As RFID becomes more widespread, so load tracking will become easier, even down to item level. For many companies, RF already offers an economic and effective way to track load movements. Door seals protect against casual thefts, while door sensors linked to vehicle tracking systems can provide real-time alerts of hijack style events. Goods in transit are no longer an easy target.