Requirement to scan all inbound sea cargo sparks security concerns

By Gautham Nagesh

The legislative mandate to scan 100 percent of oceangoing cargo bound for the United States without additional resources could actually reduce security, according to a report released by the Government Accountability Office on Monday.

The 2007 9/11 Act requires the Homeland Security Department's Customs and Border Protection directorate to scan 100 percent of U.S.-bound cargo by 2012, with possible exceptions for specific seaports. According to the report, the requirement could redirect the current focus on high-risk containers.

"Officials from the European Commission and CBP stated that unless additional resources are made available, 100 percent scanning could not be met … it is unclear who will pay for additional resources -- including increased staff, equipment and infrastructure — needed to implement the statutory requirement to scan 100 percent of U.S.-bound container cargo at foreign seaports," the report said.

The 2006 Security and Accountability for Every Port Act required CBP to test the feasibility of scanning 100 percent of U.S.-bound containers. The 9/11 Act then made it a requirement, much like it directed CBP to scan all cargo on passenger planes. More than 11 million containers arrived at U.S. seaports in fiscal 2007, an average of 30,000 per day.

Under the current risk-management system, CBP officers posted at foreign seaports focus on containers at high risk of containing weapons, explosives or other items that could compromise national security. This approach is called targeting.

The method relies on an automated targeting system that assigns a risk score to all cargo shipments before they depart for the United States, based on their shipping information. The system allows agents to identify containers potentially connected to terrorists or other criminals. CBP scans the cargo using nonintrusive inspection equipment, including large-scale imaging machines that use X-rays or gamma rays to create images of the contents. Officers also search the containers before they depart for the United States

"According to CBP and [World Customs Organization] officials, if the scanned images of all containers must be reviewed, the reviews may not be as thorough because customs officers could lose focus due to the sheer volume of work. If images are not properly or thoroughly analyzed, a degradation of security could result," said the report.

A European customs official added that 100 percent scanning also could hinder the flow of international commerce, with the requirement disproportionately affecting trade with developing countries.

In addition to embedding U.S. officials at foreign seaports, CBP is working with international customs organizations to establish common security standards to identify high-risk containers globally. That includes expanding a customs-to-business program that expedites processing for companies that comply with predetermined security measures all along the supply chain. So far, 154 countries have pledged to adopt international customs security standards.