U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Commonwealth of the Bahamas signed a Declaration of Principles to participate in the Container Security Initiative (CSI) program that will enable all maritime cargo destined for the U.S. through the Port of Freeport to be pre-screened for terrorists and terrorist weapons. D. Brent Hardt, Charge d’Affaires, signed on behalf of CBP, and John A. Rolle, Comptroller of Customs, Commonwealth of the Bahamas, signed on behalf of the Bahamian government.
CSI is a key initiative designed to prevent global maritime cargo from being exploited by terrorists intent on inflicting harm in America and other nations of the world. The CSI security blanket continues to expand and strengthen as it encompasses the Port of Freeport.
“Targeting and screening activities will be greatly advanced and intensified as CSI expands to additional locations. The continuous cooperation with foreign governments with regard to identifying high-risk shipments, is essential to the ongoing success of CSI,” said Commissioner W. Ralph Basham.
Under CSI, officers from both CBP and Immigration and Customs Enforcement are stationed at key seaports abroad to work with host governments to identify high-risk shipments bound for the U.S. and to examine these shipments prior to loading.
CSI, which involves the screening and targeting of containers at foreign seaports, did not exist prior to the terrorist attacks of 2001. On average, every day about 25,000 seagoing containers are offloaded at America’s seaports. Launched in January 2002, CSI is a revolutionary and dynamic initiative aimed at securing maritime cargo shipments against terrorist threats.
CSI has made great strides since its inception. In just over three years, 28 customs administrations have committed to joining CSI and are at various stages of implementation. CSI is now operational in 44 ports in North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East North, South, and Central America. CSI is continuing to expand to strategic locations around the world. Approximately 75 percent of cargo containers headed to the U.S. originates in or is transshipped from CSI ports.
CBP’s goal is to have 50 operational CSI ports by the end of 2006. At that time, approximately 82 percent of all transatlantic and transpacific cargo imported into the United States will be subjected to pre-screening.
The World Customs Organization (WCO), the European Union (EU), and the Group of Eight Nations (G8), support CSI expansion and have adopted resolutions implementing CSI security measures introduced at ports throughout the world.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control, and protection of our Nation’s borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.
Source: U.S. Customs and Border Protection
