Contemporary supply chains are becoming longer, leaner and more brittle. The likelihood of an event occurring may or may not have increased, but contemporary industry trends have magnified their potential impact on the manufacturer concerned and very likely, those immediately adjacent to them.
 
The probability of the occurrence of events like thefts, loss of goods, attacks etc. depends on the security level implemented in a supply chain. Actions taken in order to improve the security level are often driven by threats such as terrorism, piracy, and theft, but also espionage and the loss of control of information.
 
However, supply chain security is more than only tracking and tracing. Also risk assessment plays an important role. Today, assessment is based on pre-arrival data, but this is not effective, thus new approaches improving the effectivenes need to be developed.
 
Supply Chain Security comprises organizational, personnel and technological supply chain management activities needed to be undertaken in order to ensure the security of the goods transported and handled in the supply chain as well as regarding the handling of information.
 
This includes secure cargo as well as a secure transport of goods, which indeed is still a concern. Typical supply chain security activities include:

• Credentialing of participants in the supply chain.
• Screening and validating of the contents of cargo being shipped.
• Advance notification of the contents to the destination country.
• Ensuring the security of cargo while in-transit via the use of locks and tamper-proof seals.
• Inspecting cargo on entry.

 
Based upon the five activites listed above, three main areas of research interests arise, which will be roadmapped:

1. Effectiveness of risk assessment
2. Tracking and tracing technologies
3. Screening and detection technologies