29 January 2003
Customs Chief Lauds Sweden for Joining Container Security Initiative
(Commissioner Robert C. Bonner remarks in Gothenburg January 28)
(1770)
Sweden has agreed to participate in the U.S. Customs Container
Security Initiative (CSI), U.S. Customs Commissioner Robert C. Bonner
announced in Gothenburg January 28 at a ceremony with Director General
of the Swedish Customs Service Kjell Jansson.
CSI is designed to prevent the smuggling of terrorists or terrorist
weapons in ocean-going cargo by identifying and pre-screening
high-risk containers. Each year, according to the Customs Service,
more than 16 million containers arrive in the United States by ship,
truck, and rail.
Hailing the agreement with Sweden as an "important milestone," Bonner
noted that it marked the beginning of Phase 2 of CSI -- the expansion
of the initiative beyond the top 20 ports that ship to the United
States to additional ports that handle significant amounts of cargo,
are able to inspect cargo, and have or are in the process of acquiring
certain inspection equipment.
Bonner expressed optimism that CSI would be expanded to include
Marseilles, France; Barcelona and Valencia, Spain; Gioia Tauro, Italy;
and ports in the United Kingdom beyond Felixstowe, which signed on to
the initiative in December 2002.
In conclusion, he emphasized the importance of maintaining "the sense
of urgency and action that galvanized the world against terrorism
after September 11th."
"It is critical that those of us in government continue to do
everything we can to protect the global trading system, and the means
of transporting that trade, from the terrorist threat. And it is
critical that we all work together to improve security without
stifling the ever greater and freer flow of trade between our two
nations -- and among the nations of the world," the U.S. Customs
Commissioner said.
Following is a transcript of his remarks:
(begin transcript)
Customs Service
Washington, D.C.
www.customs.gov
REMARKS OF U.S. CUSTOMS COMMISSIONER ROBERT C. BONNER
Gothenburg, Sweden
As Delivered
01/28/2003
Introduction
I am delighted to be here in Gothenburg -- to be here in this great
and important seaport. I am especially pleased to be here with
Director General Jansson, to announce the signing of an agreement
between Sweden and the United States to implement the Container
Security Initiative, or CSI. And I am pleased to have this opportunity
to speak to you today about the status of CSI.
The Container Security Initiative is an initiative developed by United
States Customs in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September
11th. Its purpose is to protect containerized shipping from
exploitation by terrorists. Containerized shipping is a critical
component of global trade because most of the international trade
moves or is transported in containers. CSI is designed to protect that
containerized trade.
Although we are over 16 months removed from the terrorist attacks of
September 11th, we must remember that the threat from international
terrorism is every bit as real and immediate and dangerous as it was
then, if not more so. And it is a threat that knows no boundaries --
it is truly a multi-national threat.
The terrorist attacks in Bali, in Kenya, in Jordan, off the coast of
Yemen, and elsewhere across the globe remind us that the terrorist
threat is one we must all confront. These attacks also remind us that
it is an ongoing and long-term threat we face. As you know, just a few
weeks ago, British authorities discovered evidence indicating the
production of ricin, a deadly toxin, in an apartment in London,
occupied by terrorists. Regrettably, one of the terrorists murdered a
British law enforcement officer. Other Al Qaeda-linked terrorists were
arrested in Spain and Italy last week.
Terrorists will continue to search for vulnerabilities in our systems,
and they will continue to try to harm us not just physically, but
economically as well. In addition to the lives of innocent civilians,
global trade and, indeed, the global economy are at risk.
Unfortunately, because of the sheer volume of sea container traffic
and the opportunities it presents for terrorists, containerized
shipping is vulnerable to terrorist attack. And an attack involving
sea containers could wreak havoc on global trade and the global
economy, and damage the economic growth of all nations.
CSI
CSI addresses this threat. Through CSI, the United States is
partnering with other governments to identify and pre-screen high-risk
cargo containers for terrorist weapons at the ports of departure
instead of waiting to inspect them at the ports of arrival -- where in
this age of weapons of mass destruction, it would be too late.
CSI was proposed just one year ago, at a speech I gave at the Center
for Strategic and International Studies, a think tank in Washington,
D.C., in January 2002. CSI has, as I explained then, four core
elements:
* First, identify "high-risk" containers. These include any containers
that may contain -- based on intelligence and risk targeting
principles -- terrorist weapons, or even terrorists.
* Second, pre-screen containers before they are shipped.
* Third, use technology to pre-screen the high-risk containers, so
that it can be done rapidly without materially slowing down the
movement of trade.
* Fourth, use smarter, more secure containers -- containers where
customs officials will be able to tell if a container has been
tampered with.
Under the CSI program, a small number of U.S. Customs personnel are
deployed to work with our host nation counterparts to target high-risk
cargo containers.
The goal of the first phase of CSI was to begin implementation of the
program at as many of the top 20 container ports -- in terms of volume
of cargo containers shipped to United States seaports -- as possible.
Those ports were the logical place for us to start CSI, because they
account for nearly 70%, over two-thirds, of all the containers
entering the U.S.
As you can see from the check marks on this chart, nations
representing 18 of those top 20 ports are participating in CSI. By any
standard, this is remarkable progress in just one year!
Now that we have nearly achieved our goal for CSI's first phase by
getting commitments from nearly all of the top 20 ports, we are doing
what is necessary to get CSI operational in those ports as quickly as
possible. And, importantly, we are starting Phase 2 of CSI: expansion
of CSI beyond the top 20.
Today's announcement here in Gothenburg marks an important milestone.
It marks the beginning of Phase 2 of CSI. And by that I mean the
expansion of CSI to additional ports -- to ports like Gothenburg that
ship significant amounts of cargo to the United States, ports like
Gothenburg that have the infrastructure and technology to participate
in the CSI program.
Gothenburg is the first European port beyond the top twenty to be
included in CSI. And I am also announcing that in Asia, we have begun
Phase 2 by expanding CSI to the two major ports of Malaysia.
To be eligible for this second phase of CSI:
1. a country's customs administration must be able to inspect cargo
originating, or being transshipped through a country;
2. must have or be in the process of acquiring non-intrusive
inspection equipment -- large x-ray-type systems -- and radiation
detection equipment in order to conduct security; and
3. the seaport must have -- like Gothenburg -- regular, direct, and
substantial container traffic to ports in the United States.
By making CSI more broadly available beyond so-called top 20 ports,
concerns regarding possible trade distortion will be eliminated.
It is particularly appropriate that Gothenburg be the very first
European expansion port for CSI, because of its importance to the
Nordic region, and because of the volume of trade between and from
Nordic countries and the United States, through the Port of
Gothenburg.
Implementing CSI here at Gothenburg is also appropriate, because the
Swedish Customs Administration is a recognized leader in developing
and implementing effective, progressive risk management principles --
the kind of principles that are at the heart of CSI's goals of
improving security without slowing the flow of legitimate trade.
I am also impressed by the Swedish Customs Stairway Security program,
a program similar to the U.S. Customs-Trade Partnership Against
Terrorism. It involves public-private partnerships aimed at improving
security throughout the entire supply chain.
The announcement today by Mr. Pagrotsky, Sweden's Minister of Trade,
of a new Centre of Excellence here in Gothenburg -- one that will
develop methods to further improve the efficiency and security of the
supply chain -- is another example of Sweden's progressive approach to
the challenging security issues we are all facing.
The demonstrated commitment of Swedish Customs to improving security
has helped make this port, the Port of Gothenburg, stand out as a role
model and a clear example of "best practices" for other world ports.
With Gothenburg, Phase 2 of CSI is off to a strong start in Europe.
And I want to tell you that U.S. Customs is prepared to move quickly
with Phase 2, rapidly adding additional European ports that meet the
minimum standards for CSI. For Europe, I am optimistic that CSI will
be expanded to, among others, the ports of Marseilles, Gioia Tauro,
Barcelona, Valencia, and other ports in the U.K. beyond Felixstowe. In
fact, we can and should expand CSI to virtually all European ports
that ship the cargo containers to the U.S.
Conclusion
Let me conclude by saying that in our mutual mission to secure
maritime commerce from the threat of terrorism, we are off to a good
start. Beginning Phase 2 of CSI with the Port of Gothenburg in Europe
is a significant step forward, and I am confident that this will be a
model CSI port for other ports throughout Europe and elsewhere.
But we are still at the beginning of a long and challenging road. It
is critical that together we maintain the sense of urgency and action
that galvanized the world against terrorism after September 11th. It
is critical that those of us in government continue to do everything
we can to protect the global trading system, and the means of
transporting that trade, from the terrorist threat. And it is critical
that we all work together to improve security without stifling the
ever greater and freer flow of trade between our two nations -- and
among the nations of the world.
To that end, I look forward to being able to expand and implement CSI
at other ports of Europe, and throughout the rest of the world, in the
weeks and months to come.
(end transcript)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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