[EN-SEA] GAO : 2 Year Cargo Scanning Deadline Waiver Warrant Probe

THE US "Government Accountability Office" (GAO) wants a probe of the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) two-year extension on the 2012 deadline for 100 per cent scanning of cargo entering the US that critics say ignores risk management standards.

GAO recommends the DHS carry out a cost-benefit analysis, renew cost estimates and discuss proposed alternatives to 100 per cent container scanning, reports Virginia-based Security Management magazine.

The Senate authorised DHS to waive the rules for ports which could not meet the deadline because of the unavailability of equipment, incompatible port configurations, inability to integrate scanning equipment with existing systems and trade disruptions, reported American Shipper.

The GAO review revealed that at the ports of Hong Kong and Busan only three to five per cent of US-bound containers were scanned by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) people.

Pakistan's Port of Qasim as well as Southampton and Puerto Cortes in Honduras were between 54 and 86 per cent compliant. Hong Kong ended its 16-month trial saying there was no benefit to their own port security and thought costs of an SFI programme unwarranted.

Such "Security Freight Initiative" (SFI) trials at four ports are on hold with Singapore citing loss of efficiency and the Port of Salalah in Oman citing delays. SFI equipment remains in Southampton, but British customs officers have been seconded to other duties.

DP World dropped intermodal container check from rail claiming it was unable to justify the additional cost of US$60 for transferral of trucks to scanning systems.

The GAO review included input from stakeholders echoing previous criticism against 100 per cent screening which leads to a reduction in resources in order to focus on high-risk containers.

Logistical problems included limited space for equipment layout, the absence of chokepoints through which to funnel truck traffic and checking transshipment cargo transferred between ships without adding delays to the handling process.

Source : HKSG, 07.12.09.