Many World Ports Likely to Miss Security Deadline

Many world ports are likely to miss a July 1 deadline by the U.N. International Maritime Organization for compliance with new screening measures designed to block shipments of dangerous materials, the Associated Press reported Sunday (see GSN, June 11).

Only 654 of 6,114 ports — roughly one in 10 — had met the security requirements by mid-June, according to AP. Ships heading to the United States from noncomplying ports could be searched by the U.S. Coast Guard or even turned back.

“Many ports only started working on it in May,” said Chris Austen, chief executive for a British security consulting firm working with 300 ports to implement the upgrades.

Security experts add that checking every shipping container for a radioactive “dirty bomb” or weapon of mass destruction is impossible (Alan Clendenning, Associated Press/Altus Times, June 20).

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