Homeland Security

Bremerhaven, Hamburg Ports Operational Under Security Initiative

(U.S. Customs Service press release on Container Security Initiative
(CSI)) (590)
The U.S. Customs Service's Container Security Initiative (CSI) is now
operational in the ports of Bremerhaven and Hamburg, Customs
Commissioner Robert C. Bonner announced February 21.
These two ports join the already operational CSI ports of Rotterdam
and LeHavre in Europe, and Montreal, Halifax and Vancouver in Canada.
The port of Antwerp is expected to be operational by February 25,
according to a Customs press release.
The initiative, developed by the U.S. Customs Service, focuses on
preventing terrorists from using containerized shipping for their
attacks.
Following is the Customs press release:
(begin text)
U.S. Customs Service
Washington, D.C.
February 21, 2003
CONTAINER SECURITY INITIATIVE EXPANDS BEYOND THE MEGAPORTS,
STRENGTHENING ANTI-TERROR COALITION
Friday, February 21, 2003
WASHINGTON, D.C.- U.S. Customs Commissioner Robert C. Bonner announced
that the Container Security Initiative (CSI) participating ports of
Bremerhaven and Hamburg are now operational.
Bremerhaven and Hamburg join the already operational CSI ports of
Rotterdam and LeHavre in Europe and Montreal, Halifax and Vancouver in
Canada. The port of Antwerp is expected to be operational by February
25. Rotterdam became operational on September 2, 2002 and LeHavre on
December 2, 2002. The three Canadian ports were operational in March
of 2002.
"We are getting CSI implemented in those ports that have signed on. We
will continue to deploy teams to the participating ports as quickly as
possible," said Commissioner Bonner. "We salute the German government
for moving so quickly to implement this urgent initiative."
The Container Security Initiative is an initiative developed by the
United States Customs Service in the aftermath of the terrorist
attacks of September 11th. Under the CSI program, a small number of
U.S. Customs officers are deployed to work with host nation
counterparts to target high-risk cargo containers. 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.
To date, 18 of the top 20 megaports have committed to joining CSI and
are at various stages of implementation. These megaports are points of
passage for approximately two-thirds of containers shipped to the
United States. They include (by container cargo volume): Hong Kong,
Shanghai, Singapore, Rotterdam, Pusan, Bremerhaven, Tokyo, Genoa,
Yantian, Antwerp, Nagoya, Le Havre, Hamburg, La Spezia, Felixstowe,
Algeciras, Kobe, Yokahama.
CSI consists of four core elements: 1) using intelligence and
automated information to identify and target high-risk containers; (2)
pre-screening those containers identified as high-risk, at the port of
departure, before they arrive at U.S. ports; (3) using detection
technology to quickly pre-screen high-risk containers; and (4) using
smarter, tamper proof containers.
Globally, over 48 million full cargo containers move between major
seaports each year. Each year, more than 6 million containers arrive
in the United States by ship.
"Now that we have nearly achieved our goal for CSI at most of the top
20 ports, we are quickly expanding CSI to all ports that ship
substantial amounts of cargo to the United States, and that have the
infrastructure and technology in place to participate in the program,"
Commissioner Bonner said.
Most recently, the governments of Malaysia and Sweden have joined CSI.
In Europe, CSI will be expanded to at least 11 ports.
The CSI initiative supports the "Cooperative G8 Action on Transport
Security" adopted by G8 in June 2002.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)