The threat of a weapon of mass destruction, WMD in a cargo container detonated in the mouth of a US port, or adjacent to a large metropolitan city by a remote triggering device continues to hang like a pall over our homeland security. President Bush has stated publicly that if such a weapon were detonated in one of our ports, he would be forced to close all US harbors for some indefinite period until all the existing ships and containers were inspected for additional weapons. We need only to ponder the billions lost each day during the West Coast dock strike of 2002 to understand the devastating economic impact of such a decision. Shortly after 9/11, it became clear that container inspection needed to be pushed "beyond the horizon". In the spring of 2002, the Container Security Initiative (CSI) was launched to put US inspectors in foreign ports. Its effectiveness is questionable, it presents significant diplomatic difficulties, etc. but criticism of it is muted because no other option is evident.
As of July 2004, the Coast Guard is boarding all inbound vessels with foreign registry. However this has to be largely window dressing because with container ships usually carrying over 1000 closely stacked containers, the odds of an inspection team detecting one containing a WMD are at least remote.
The PSP technology could be employed to construct large floating offshore ports (megaports) that would enable inspection of all incoming cargo containers before they arrive at our shore. There are new technologies for handling and scanning cargo. They are expected to produce efficiencies to where as few as five such megaports would be required. All incoming containers could be offloaded and inspected before being loaded onto secure ships and on to their destination port.
In May 2002, Float proposed a port security strategy titled. "Beyond the Horizon" and published a white paper which was distributed to most of the agencies that are involved in homeland security. Although the Department of Homeland Security was not yet established, the idea received much favorable response. The difficulty proved to be that, jurisdictionally, it was more than any one agency could handle. Support for a systemic change of the magnitude required would have to emanate from the highest levels of the government.
Perhaps the most compelling argument for pursuing a change of this magnitude is that it can potentially be done as a private/government partnership. Such partnerships have already been established by the US government, but have never undertaken such a large task. The economic advantages to the private stakeholders could justify their investment in such a project. The largest ships could carry the maximum number of containers, make fewer stops, and reduce the port downtime. The ports would be increasing their real estate development holdings, (increased revenue stream) while maintaining their own autonomy. Currently hundreds of millions of dollars are expended each year in dredging and channel maintenance. Using shallow draft vessels, lighters, from the megaport to the existing ports would eliminate much of this current and future planned dredging expense.
Starting with a clean sheet of paper, offshore megaports could be designed with the efficiencies of a "Fed Ex" type distribution system in mind. Container carriers would be REQUIRED to offload all containers destined for the onshore ports eliminating any risk of the cargo or the ship being detonated in a US port. The most modern craning systems are capable of doubling the moves per hour and are also capable of scanning the containers during the handling process. This added handling efficiency compensates for the need to double handle the containers. Ports are already double and triple handling certain classes of containers such as hazardous materials and those with suspicious contents.
Another effect could be increased business for smaller ports. They are generally being bypassed by the larger container ships because of water depth restrictions. The carriers that will be used to pick-up and distribute containers from the megaport will be smaller and able to deliver to smaller ports. It would likely become more economical to ship small quantities of containers to and from smaller ports and this would give them a trade boost.
A copy of the original white paper may be obtained by clicking HERE. A second white paper discussing the steps that would need to be taken to implement the Beyond the Horizon strategy may be obtained by clicking HERE.