News
U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Jeh Johnson has sent a letter to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee of DHS's decision that 100 percent scanning of all U.S.-bound maritime cargo for radiological and nuclear threats has been extended for an additional two years. Now, the deadline for implementation of 100% scanning of all inbound containers will be July 1, 2014,
Passed in 2006 and signed by the president next year, the Security and Accountability for Every Port (SAFE Port) Act requires U.S.-bound maritime cargo containers to be scanned by radiation detective equipment and non-intrusive imaging systems at foreign ports prior to the cargo being loaded onto U.S.-bound ships.
''The use of currently available technology to scan shipping containers would have a detrimental impact on trade capacity, as well as the flow of cargo,'' Secretary Johnson said in the letter. ''Such systems cannot be purchased, deployed or operated by foreign ports as they do not have the physical capabilities to support them, he added.
