Protecting America's Ports
On September 11, 2001, the United States saw all too graphically how the country's own transportation system could be used against its citizens. While the FAA made moves to increase airline security, in January 2002, Customs Commissioner Robert C. Bonner proposed a means of protecting the nation's ports: CSI. No, not the popular television show. This CSI stands for the U.S. Customs Service's "Container Security Initiative."

Ninety percent of the goods traded around the world travels aboard container vessels - city-sized ships that carry stories-high stacks of cargo containers. Nearly 6 million such containers entered U.S. ports in 2001. With just 2% of containers screened for illegal contents, very little prevents would-be terrorists from importing supplies, cash, operatives or weapons of mass destruction into the United States.

By August 2002, U.S. Customs had already implemented several strategies to better screen the millions of containers destined for U.S. ports. Under CSI, Customs officials have more security intelligence and screening technology at their disposal with which to make more informed choices about which cargo containers might pose threats. In addition, officials are screening more containers before they are shipped from their home ports. This requires international cooperation, but as of August 2002, six nations - accounting for 70% of all U.S.-bound cargo - had agreed to participate.

For more information about the Container Security Initiative, see:
The U.S. Customs web site.
http://www.customs.ustreas.gov/news/news.htm

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