Missing the Boat - Shipping Containers and Mandatory Inspections at Sea
There
will always be cost considerations involved when we speak about inspecting
shipping containers as they come into US ports. Adding to the problem is the
fact that most ports are at or near major population centers. New York, Northern
New Jersey, Los Angeles and the Southland area of California, Texas, and the
Great Lake States are all within the terrorist striking range when it comes to
container ships.
Although we have the technology to inspect and/ or monitor these containers as they come in, commerce and industry seem to dictate that we don’t. So what is the answer?
There should be a US inspector or a team of US inspectors on board each and every container ship that leaves a foreign port on its way to the US. Containers should be inspected for explosives, dangerous chemicals and nuclear material while they are on their way to their respective US ports. These inspectors will have to be armed with the latest and greatest technology available to do their jobs including, but not limited to:
While these inspectors will be employees of the US Government, their cost will have to be paid for by the shipper. Even though the shipper will have to pass this cost down to the manufacturer, then ultimately the consumer, amortizing the expense in relation to the vast amount of merchandise shipped on one of these gigantic container ships, the cost should be minimal. In the end, the manufacturer will probably find a way to actually make this a profitable exercise.
Monitors on the cranes that hoist these huge containers are also an excellent idea. We should spare no expense when it comes to protecting our homeland.