When I traveled to Europe I was thinking about all of the security
checks my personal luggage goes through and felt better knowing we are
at least trying to prevent horrific crimes.  The other day I was in
Long Beach and watched a crane hoist several containers from a boat.
Suddenly, I became curious about what actions/procedures/steps are
taken to make sure the containers received at port aren't Trojan
horses. What we are doing to "X-ray" cargo received via ocean freight?
For example, thousands of containers arrive in the Long Beach Harbor
via ocean cargo every year. Do we "X-ray" the containers or in some
way verify the contents are safe similar to what happens to baggage at
the airport? If not, are their companies out there that are privately
developing the technology or services required to do so?  Are there
web sites that I can use to learn more about what these specific
services/equipment development ideas are?

---

Clarification of Question by brian22-ga on 21 Jul 2005 22:18 PDT

Myoarin,
Your logic seems reasonable but unfortunately it can't be a substitute
for facts. Cargo containers always end up on rail roads or trucks and
both end up in areas where far more people live compared to an
airplane.

This might be of interest to you:

http://www.secureports.org/fact_sheet.html

Brian,
When you or I travel by plane, we and everyone else want to be sure
there is not a bomb  - or even a less lethal "something" on the plane,
especially now when we know that there are people who may be prepared
to blow themselves up.
That calls for stringent controls  (they've checked my bag for
explosives after x-raying and seeing a bottle, wiping it and testing
the cloth.  Whisky's OK).
Great, I also don't want to be blown up with a couple of hundred other persons.

A bomb on a container ship is a very much lesser risk, for the ship
and crew, and once it comes ashore.  This makes it relatively
uninteresting to plant a bomb in a shipping container.

We could be worried about air shipments, but I trust that there are
adequate controls  - well, as adequate as can be devised.

Myoarin

Brian, 
Pinkfreud's link explains pretty clearly that suspicious containers
are inspected once they reach the States, and are increasingly being 
inspect before shipment.
The controls over containers from the supplier that filled them until
they are loaded onboard a ship are continuous, and most containers
contain goods from only one supplier.  It would seem likely that those
filled by different suppliers only made up that few percent that are
x-rayed and physically inspected.

Bombs have to be triggered.  This would be quite difficult,
considering that it will be an interminable number of days before the
container is delivered.

I beg to differ with you about the numbers of people within the
"range" of a container with a bomb.  Even on a crowded street, there
would less than the number in a intercontinental airplane, and if a
bomb went off, the death toll would not be 100% as in the case of a
plane.
But most containers are opened and unloaded where there are relative
few persons about, especially those with goods from overseas.  The
container you see in a downtown area (seldom enough) is probably local
transport, probably domestic transport.

Regards, Myoarin

Brian,
Here is the site I should have looked for before:

http://www.customs.gov/xp/cgov/border_security/international_activities/csi/

http://www.usembassy.org.uk/terror537.html

http://www.pcwelt.de/news/englishnews/Security/114765/

and you can find many more by searching with:  container terror protection

Myoarin