HOW SECURE IS YOUR LOGISTICS TRANSPORTATION??
Every day, there is a different challenge when it comes to logistics transportation security.
There is one part of security where we see thieves break the locks and steal the goods. Another part is when some known person does the pilferage by opening the door for some time and take the things. This kind of stealing will not come to notice and companies are bound to absorb these losses. The most popular items for such thieves are Jewelry, fashion goods, electronics, beverages & food, pharmaceutics and also Petrol/Diesel & chemicals. Market studies show huge pilferage in logistics sector. According to McKinsey report “Around USD 11 billion is lost each year due to theft in India’s logistics network”
Corporates, Banks, government organizations and logistics companies are dependent on their own resources on the new technology startups to come up solutions to prevent pilferage and theft from logistics transportation.
Growth of new sectors like FMCG, e-commerce, retail and manufacturing, which are also heavily dependent on an organized logistics system for ensuring no pilferage & seamless services to their customers.
Source: BSI & TT Club Cargo Theft Report H1 2018
In current scenario use of traditional physical security technologies as well as tech unique to the mission such as seals, global positioning based and more sophisticated locating and tracking applications with some level of credential for access control as well as security video, often IP-based and analytics equipped.
Tagging certain job titles to specific zones will not be sufficient to remove these losses. There is need of an automated system which identifies the threat the records every event for analysis and access based control.
Measures to restrict pilferage and theft:
1) Authentication & Authorization – Multi-modal authentication of the authorized user
2) Access Control – Define access to make users responsible for their actions
3) Audit Trails – Data for each actions and events
4) Real-time Alert system – Alert system for any tampering and unauthorized attempt
5) Remote Monitoring & Control – Always connected with central system
Internet of Things to Revolutionize Logistics Transportation
IoT has the potential to transform logistics decision making processes, as well as the way goods, are stored, monitored, transported, and delivered to the customer.
Transportation security is paramount in logistics since 85% of the pilferage and theft is happening during transit. There are several factors for this:
1. Offline system
o No real-time monitoring and Alert system in case of tampering or unauthorized access
o Remote operations not possible due to current offline system
o No audit trails available of operations and events
o No real-time central monitoring system with complete audit trails is available for analysis of theft / pilferage w.r.t. location, time or person(s)
2. No monitoring of Lock operations
o Key based mechanical locks
o Easy to duplicate the key in most of cases
o Key of the lock is available with driver of the truck, who can open it at any time anywhere without location traced
3. No Remote operations
o Collection & return of keys from control stations for unmanned stations leading to huge cost and delay
4. Tracking and monitoring system installed on the vehicle to monitor its movement only
The network of devices with built-in technology to communicate and sensors to interact with their internal states with the external world, IoT could revolutionize the logistics by enabling better asset tracking, and transit security. In 2015, there were about 15.4 billion connected devices. According to IHS, this number will grow to 30.7 billion in 2020, and 75.4 billion by 2025
The data arising from the connectivity of physical assets is the foundation of the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT-enabled analytic applications convert this raw IoT data into an opportunity for process improvement.
What more is required?
There are many ways IOT is playing a major role in improving Supply chain monitoring, vehicle tracking, inventory management, transportation and automation of processes. But we are still ignoring the last mile security when actually goods are out in transit from the ware house to be delivered to the end customer. We need a system which will not only monitor the shipment but also provide means to remove pilferage and theft in transit. Mechanical locks which are used in trucks are not at all safe because there is no control on opening and closing the lock and by whom and where?
Here comes the requirement of an online system which keeps record of all lock operations over and above of the tracking of vehicle carrying goods.
Leveraging IOT platform and device, logistics transportation can be safer and secure by:
1. Real time tracking and monitoring of Locking and Unlocking
• GPS based tracking of the lock movements & unlock operations
2. Audit trails for each operation for traceability and accountability
• Locking/Unlocking, user, time and location recording
3. Real-time alert system
• Alert generation in case of unauthorized access or tamper attempt to take evasive action
4. Location Authorization
• Lock can be unlocked only in defined geo-fencing area after multi-modal authorization
5. Remote Operations
• Lock can be unlocked remotely from anywhere
6. Emergency Support
• In SOS situations central system can provide quick support
