Operation Safe Commerce News

conducted an oversight hearing regarding transportation security. task. Mr. Jeffrey Shane, Under Secretary of Transportation Policy, discussed the role of the Department of Transportation regarding security and its coordination with the Department of Homeland Security. Admiral Thomas Collins, Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard, discussed the agency's strategy to reduce maritime security risks through: (1) increasing maritime domain awareness, (2) implementing preventative measures, (3) securing borders and protecting infrastructure, and (4) preparing to respond quickly if necessary.

The Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act (H.R. 2555) has been approved by both the House of Representatives and the Senate. It is now on its way to the White House for signature. Among other things, it provides $4.4 billion to Customs and Border Protection (of which $3 million is to be derived from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund and other monies to be derived from the Customs User Fee Account); $319 million for development of the Automated Commercial Environment; $263 million for maritime and land security expenses of the Transportation Security Administration (of which $125 million is available for port security grants and $17 million is available for Operation Safe Commerce); and $4.7 billion to the U.S.

Several key actions were taken by the American Association of Port Authorities’ (AAPA) Legislative Policy Council (LPC) at its 92nd annual convention being held this week in Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles. The LPC is comprised of port directors representing each region of AAPA’s U.S. Delegation. Port security continues to be one of the highest priorities for AAPA. Actions taken in this area relate to Federal funding and limited liability. Highlights include the following. · A call for $400 million in Federal funding for the Transportation Security Administrations (TSA) port security grant program in the FY ’05 Federal budget. The FY’04 level is expected only to be $125 million, while the Coast Guard projects the cost to be $1.125 billion in the first year.

The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation conducted an oversight hearing regarding transportation security. Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Committee Chair, noted that maritime security remains a daunting task. Mr. Jeffrey Shane, Under Secretary of Transportation Policy, discussed the role of the Department of Transportation regarding security and its coordination with the Department of Homeland Security. Admiral Thomas Collins, Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard, discussed the agency's strategy to reduce maritime security risks through: (1) increasing maritime domain awareness, (2) implementing preventative measures, (3) securing borders and protecting infrastructure, and (4) preparing to respond quickly if necessary.

The Strategic Council on Security Technology announced the global rollout of Phase Two of the Smart and Secure Tradelanes (SST) initiative. In the last year, SST has become the largest cargo security program in operation, helping global shippers to automatically track the location and status of containers while creating a system to detect and report container tampering. The second phase of SST focuses on further expansion of the global network, extending operations, shipments, and integration into existing supply chain systems while incorporating new technologies such as sensor-equipped smart containers into global supply chain systems. Smart and Secure Tradelanes (SST) is an industry-funded supply chain security and efficiency initiative.

Our nation’s ports are an essential component of our economic infrastructure, and they represent one of our greatest vulnerabilities, but the Administration’s budget will weaken our investment in port security. Last week, the President was at the Port of Charleston to talk about seaport and cargo security. It is one thing to give a speech in front of our Coast Guard assets and quite another to actually provide the men and women of the Coast Guard with the tools they need to do their job. This Administration is flirting with disaster with its lack of sustained and serious attention to port security. We cannot allow any port in this country to become a weak link in the security chain.

U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) has been selected as Port Person of the Year by the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), the organization representing public ports throughout the Western Hemisphere. It is AAPA's most prestigious annual award, honoring an individual whose outstanding work or service has made a significant contribution to public port authorities and/or maritime commerce. The award will be presented to Senator Murray on March 23 at 8:30 a.m. during AAPA's annual Spring Conference, held at the Washington, D.C. Park Hyatt Hotel. The Port of Seattle, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and the Port of Tacoma nominated Murray for the Port Person of the Year honor, which was ultimately decided by AAPA's Executive Committee upon review of all nominations.

U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) has been selected as Port Person of the Year by the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), the organization representing public ports throughout the Western Hemisphere. AAPA’s annual award, honors an individual whose outstanding work or service has made a significant contribution to public port authorities and/or maritime commerce. The award will be presented to Senator Murray on March 23 during AAPA’s annual Spring Conference, held at the Washington, D.C. Park Hyatt Hotel. The Port of Seattle, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and the Port of Tacoma nominated Murray for the Port Person of the Year honor, which was ultimately decided by AAPA’s Executive Committee upon review of all nominations.

Senator Murray (D-WA) issued a News Release in conjunction with the arrival in Tacoma of a container shipment tracked by Operation Safe Commerce. While Operation Safe Commerce is an important tool in the protection of maritime commerce and while Senator Murray has done much to bolster funding for this program, her claim to have “created” the initiative reminds one of then-Vice President Gore’s assertion that he invented the Internet. (HK Law).

The Innovative Trade Network (ITN), a BV Solutions Group (BVSG)-led team of specialists from 10 companies announced the arrival of the first three Operation Safe Commerce (OSC) intermodal shipping containers at warehouse facilities in Seattle, Wash. project manager and vice president. accurate risk profiles for intermodal shipping containers. chains. anomalies. automobile parts. mitigate potential shortfalls in security. material documentation and information profiling.

Significantly more federal funding assistance is urgently needed for U.S. port security, testified port industry witness Noel Cunningham today at a hearing of the House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation. Representing the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) and the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, Cunningham is Director of Operations and Emergency Management of the Port of Los Angeles, the largest container port in the U.S. and the seventh largest in the world. “A healthy U.S. To illustrate the potentially dire economic consequences of a U.S. port closure, he pointed to the 10-day West Coast labor strike in 2002 that brought trade to an immediate halt and cost the U.S. economy a billion dollars a day.

Thank you for that introduction; it is a pleasure to be with you again for this important conference. One year ago, we all met like this in Nashville and I joked that I might try to get a gig on Nashville Star, singing some cheesy country song about testifying on Capitol Hill. It’s too bad the TV show CSI isn’t actually filmed here in Vegas. With this group in town, we could do an episode that highlights the Cargo Security Initiative – call it CSI on CSI. When I actually got around to saying something of substance last year, I spoke a bit about the “complacency gene” that we all have – the tendency to default into a careless loss of focus. Well, I bet if those CSI folks ran some tests, they would still find evidence that it exists.

As new international and domestic regulations regarding shipping security enter force, the focus is not simply on security, but also on maintaining a healthy flow of commerce to keep the U.S. and world economy humming. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge recently announced the implementation of new security measures designed to build upon the layers of security that are already in place at the nation's ports. The new measures, required by the Maritime Transportation Security Act, add additional security protections to every port in the United States. Port and vessel protection continues to remain one of the Department of Homeland Security's highest priorities.

The Coast Guard Captain of the Port hosted a Model Port Boston meeting in which the project's partners signed a charter outlining its mission and goal. The model port project, officially named Boston - A Model Port, is one of several Operation Safe Commerce projects underway across the country. In Boston, the project represents a coalition of state, local and federal agencies, and private sector businesses united to enhance port and transportation security while facilitating commerce. The model port project gathers and provides information regarding current security and safety practices in supply chains and critical port activities; assists in collaborative efforts to develop and share best practices for the safe and secure movement of people…

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security recently released its draft White Paper on a National Cargo Security Strategy. The Department is seeking stakeholder feedback. The White Paper is a long-belated and somewhat half-hearted attempt to mend fences and appear to be moving forward, while expending little new capital. The paper runs on for nine pages, offering no new ideas and making few commitments. It has the appearance of an uneasy political compromise between feuding federal agencies. The one clear commitment is found on page eight, where it says the Department “will, as a short-term step, mandate the use of high security mechanical seals on all in-bound containers.” There is, as yet, no official government standard as to what constitutes a high security mechanical seal.

Public seaports across the United States are weighing in this week on the Administration's requested Fiscal Year 2006 federal budget. Ports are deeply concerned about recommended elimination of the Department of Homeland Security's Port Security Grant Program by lumping it into a sweeping new program that combines the security infrastructure needs of seaports with those of trains, trucks, busses and other public transit. In addition, ports are concerned about the Administration's proposed budget, which would significantly under-fund the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Civil Works program and needed deep-draft dredging projects. "Protecting America's marine facilities from acts of terrorism must be a top Administration priority and a shared responsibility between the ports…

The Department of Homeland Security announced a $17.1 million award to the Port Authority of New York/New Jersey and to the Ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach and Seattle/Tacoma to strengthen the security of container cargo moving through three of the nation’s largest load centers. These grants were awarded under the third phase of Operation Safe Commerce, a program through which ports, federal, state, and local governments, and private businesses work together to identify, test, and share information about commercially available technologies and best business practices to improve the security of the supply chain. “Operation Safe Commerce takes a partnership approach to developing innovative new ways for ports to track and protect cargo entering the United States from all over the world…

In the nearly five years since 9/11, America’s seaports and the federal government have joined forces to make major gains in fortifying and hardening port facilities against intruder attack. “Public port authorities have made seaport security their top priority since September 11, 2001,” said Kurt Nagle, American Association of Port Authorities’ president and CEO. With the combined efforts of public ports, initiatives of federal agencies within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) such as the U.S. Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), ports are significantly safer now than prior to 9/11, he noted. “Ports are a vital part of our nation’s transportation infrastructure and serve as international borders to nearly all U.S. overseas trade,” said Mr. Nagle.

International cargo volumes in the Port of New York and New Jersey hit record levels in 2005, New Jersey Governor Jon S. Corzine, Port Authority Chairman Anthony R. Coscia and Port Authority Vice Chairman Charles A. Gargano said today as they revealed new port security initiatives, including a public-private task force and a demonstration of technology to enhance security at the East Coast’s largest seaport. Containerized cargo volumes in the Port of New York and New Jersey rose 7.6 percent in 2005 to a new record high, continuing to exceed the authority’s projected cargo growth levels. The dollar value of all cargo moving through the port exceeded $132 billion for the first time, up 15.6 percent from 2004.

The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), the organization representing public ports throughout the Western Hemisphere, lauded Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Patty Murray (D-WA) for introducing a bill in the U.S. Senate that includes revisions and clarifications to the Department of Homeland Security’s Port Security Grant program. “AAPA praises the senatorial leadership of Susan Collins, who chairs the Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, and Washington State’s Patty Murray, who today have introduced the ‘GreenLane Maritime Cargo Security Act,’” said Kurt Nagle, AAPA’s president and CEO. Nagle added that while there are DHS programs that address cargo and port security…

Iridium Satellite and Impeva Labs will expand their current collaboration in the implementation of a real-time container monitoring, tracking and security system on behalf of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ). PANYNJ recently awarded a contract to Impeva Labs as part of the federal Operation Safe Commerce (OSC) Phase III. Iridium and Impeva Labs have collaborated during the past four years in several platforms and products. This phase of field trials of Impeva's Global Sentinel system, which utilizes the Iridium constellation for global communications, will begin in December 2005. Safe Commerce (OSC), a U.S. technology and commercial practices to make container shipping safer. transit. on the global location and condition of containers.

As part of the Bush Administration’s ongoing commitment to strengthen security throughout the nation’s transportation system, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta announced $148 million in new transportation security grants. Secretary Mineta said the $148 million, made available by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), will include $105 million in Port Security Grants, $15 million in Intercity Bus Security Grants, and $28 million for Operation Safe Commerce’s pilot program for port security. “The Bush Administration is committed to further securing our nation’s highways, mass transit systems, railways, waterways and pipelines, each of which is critical to ensuring the freedom of mobility and economic growth,” said Secretary Mineta.

Following the mandates to enhance maritime security throughout the United States, programs were developed to make federal funds available to partially offset the costs being imposed on the private sector. The programs, which started off with great fanfare, are in danger of collapsing due to lack of continued funding by Congress and attempts by the Administration to siphon off monies for other missions. The first monies appropriated by Congress for port security grants were in the Department of Defense and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Recovery from and Response to Terrorist Attacks on the United States Act, 2002 (Pub.L. 107-117, January 10, 2002).