DHL Express Bahrain has been named top performer across DHL Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa (EEMEA) region, by achieving a maximum score in a Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA) security audit

With DHL's regional distribution centre in Bahrain achieving this honour with a 100 per cent score, the company breaks its own previous Tapa certification of 99.44 per cent previously held in the UAE, the highest among DHL Express facilities across EEMEA.

Tapa is a professional association of high-tech industries, freight forwarders, integrators and consultants, promoting higher security standards in the international shipping and air cargo industry.

Certification is awarded only after a rigorous and detailed evaluation of freight security systems and procedures by independent auditors.

This certification is the second for DHL Express Bahrain and adds one more benchmark to its list of accomplishments, said a top official.

'We are proud of this score and it is rewarding to see the regional facilities of DHL Express continuing to set new benchmarks for the industry and surpassing our own high standards,' said DHL Express Middle East area director Michel Akavi.

'DHL Express recognises that providing customers with a secure supply chain is critical to business effectiveness, as well as our reputation as the world's leading express and logistics solutions provider,' he said.

'The Tapa certification endorses our stringent security standards and adds improved value to the services we provide locally and globally,' added head of operations Middle East Bachi Spiga.

'With this record result, our customers will be confident that we have the established freight security practices to ensure a secure network and safe in-transit warehousing of high value products. In short we have taken the lead in providing a secure world-class service.'

Research analysis by Tapa on incidents of security breach, indicates that the implementation of its tough measures through Tapa freight security requirements, certification of warehouse premises, increased CCTV coverage, access control and other general security controls, have impacted positively and reduced the security issues reported.

In May 2006, DHL Express Bahrain was the first express and logistics company in the region to receive the Tapa Classification, a certificate which is awarded to facilities that comply with a set standard of security.

DHL Express currently has 16 Tapa certified facilities in the Middle East region, with several more facilities planned for accreditation this year.-TradeArabia News Service