Global K9 is calling on UK regulators to modernize aerospace cargo screening rules, arguing that current policy is adding unnecessary cost, emissions, and complexity to the air cargo supply chain. Speaking at Multimodal 2026 in Birmingham, Chief Commercial Officer, Chris Daniels said aircraft engines cannot currently be screened by certified canine teams in the UK, forcing shipments to be trucked to European airports such as Liège and Brussels, where this screening method is allowed. Once screened there, the cargo can then be accepted back into the UK as cleared freight. Global K9, which operates in the UK, Belgium, and the Netherlands and has Free Running Explosive Detection Dogs stationed at Heathrow, Gatwick, and Aberdeen, says a more collaborative approach between industry and regulators could maintain strong security while reducing cross-border transport. Daniels believes allowing certified canine screening for aircraft engines in the UK would improve efficiency, cut emissions, lower exporter costs, and strengthen the competitiveness of the country’s air cargo sector. Chris Daniels, Global K9’s (GK9) Chief Commercial Officer, shared: “Aerospace cargo in the UK currently goes on a costly and polluting detour. Despite canine screening for aircraft engines being adopted in other countries and supported by experienced screening providers, regulation has not yet caught up with operational capability. We need policy to reflect what is possible, and what is beneficial for the industry, while maintaining safety as the absolute priority. Logistics is one of the largest contributors to transport emissions. Where safe, secure alternatives exist that reduce unnecessary movements, we have a responsibility to explore them. Global K9 would welcome the opportunity to work alongside UK regulators to help deliver the safest, most effective, and most efficient cargo screening methods available.”
