|
|||||
|
|||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
 |
 |
    |
|
|
|||
 |
|
||
|
|||
|
|
|
|
||||||||
|
Official Touts U.S. Megaports Initiative
The U.S. Megaports Initiative ultimately is expected to allow for scanning of more than half of all cargo containers shipped from foreign ports to the United States, a senior National Nuclear Security Administration said Thursday (see GSN, April 3). Radiation detection technology has been placed at 14 foreign ports in an effort to prevent smuggling of a nuclear weapon or nuclear material into the United States. Personnel from the host country operate the equipment. Agreements with another 10 nations are anticipated soon, and discussions are under way with 10 more countries, said David Huizenga, assistant deputy administrator for the NNSA International Material Protection and Cooperation Office. “Once all 70 ports [of interest] are equipped, we conservatively estimate that we will be scanning at least 40 percent of global traffic and over 50 percent of U.S.-bound containers,” Huizenga told the House Homeland Security Prevention of Nuclear and Biological Attack Subcommittee. Growing levels of participation in the Megaports program spurs other countries to join, Huizenga said. Visits by President George W. Bush and other administration officials can also help finish negotiations on cooperative deals. “One country in particular refused to conclude negotiations for over two years, but then quickly agreed to complete an agreement in a matter of four days due to a presidential visit,” said Huizenga, who also expressed appreciation for lawmakers’ “focus on international port security.” Technology provided to Megaports nations includes large portal monitors capable of detecting plutonium, highly enriched uranium and other radioactive materials; hand-held sensors; computers and cameras, Huizenga said. The equipment has proven “to be operationally effective and robust in harsh, and often remote, international environments,” he said. “That being said, we recognize there are limitations in its capabilities and that there is a need for next-generation equipment that will identify both highly enriched uranium and plutonium with a high degree of efficiency and will support the prompt adjudication of innocent alarms so as not to impede commerce flow,” Huizenga said. “We are closely tracking the efforts within the NNSA and [Domestic Nuclear Defense Office] research and development programs so that we may capitalize on advancements in detection capabilities” (U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration release, May 30).
| ||||||||||
Back to top
