PLACI

The new security regime aims to assess the risk before loading shipments. The importing country receives advance shipment data to determine if any intervention is necessary. Based on the assessment results, appropriate actions are taken, such as withdrawing the shipment from the supply chain, conducting additional inspections, or gathering more information.

To respond to security threats and incidents, WCO and ICAO jointly introduced an additional layer in the management of air cargo security risk in 2019. As a result, Customs and aviation authorities are increasingly enforcing new security protocols to identify any potential ‘bomb in the box’ before shipments are loaded onto aircraft. This additional security layer comes on top of existing security regimes based on pre-arrival Advance Cargo Information (ACI) requirements. The new security regime, focused on assessing the risk before shipment loading, is called Pre-Loading Advance Cargo Information (PLACI).

One of the biggest challenges for the industry is to comply with multiple PLACI initiatives while maintaining the speed and flow of cargo. To address this, IATA plays a crucial role as the only organization that can develop appropriate and complete international standard business processes for an efficient, harmonized, and standardized implementation of PLACI standards.

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What is PLACI (Pre-Loading Advanced Cargo Information)

PLACI is the term used to describe a specific 7+1 data set that is drawn from consignment data and provided to regulators by freight forwarders, air carriers, postal operators, integrators, regulated agents, or other entities.

What are the differences between pre-arrival ACI and PLACI?

ACI helps customs assess cargo risk and identify potential issues before arrival at the destination. PLACI is a security measure that assesses terrorism risk before loading cargo onto an aircraft.

Not complying with PLACI

Airlines and freight forwarders need to take the necessary steps and measures to comply with the new security directives. Failure to comply with PLACI requirements may have severe consequences, such as sanctions on carriers, financial penalties, cargo being stopped at the border, goods not being cleared by customs, unnecessary interventions, rejection of poor-quality declarations and suspension of licenses.

How to be PLACI compliant

To ensure compliance with applicable PLACI regulations, any organization must have the appropriate business processes and technical solutions in place for effective data management. The data management process under the PLACI regime includes several steps, such as implementing new business processes between carriers, freight forwarders, and shippers to obtain the required data. It also involves updating Cargo Management and Operational Systems to support the new data, updating the customs filing solution to ensure the transmission of new data, and ensuring that appropriate systems and procedures are in place to receive customs status responses and trigger actions accordingly.

Additionally, quality control and compliance check procedures must be introduced to ensure that all shipments are compliant with the various PLACI requirements applicable throughout the entire journey.

The following PLACI regimes are in place

Below is the list of current PLACI regimes either implemented or at the pilot stage:

Please note this is not a comprehensive overview of laws and regulations that may apply to air transport. Air France KLM Martinair Cargo cannot be held responsible for the correctness, nor completeness, of the information provided.

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