Port Security: Top Threats and Technology Trends  A look at
reducing security risks at ports worldwide  - Crane-mounted
sensors: The majority of the containers that come into the U.S.
are trans-shipped. That is, a ship arrives in a port such as
Rotterdam, and containers are off-loaded and put on a ship
headed to the U.S. These containers do not pass through the gate
of the port, and today, unless they are flagged by the manifest
system as high risk, they are put on the ship and arrive at the
U.S. port without inspection. One new technology to help address
the inherent risks is a sensor that attaches to the end of the
loading crane. Speed is important in crane operation, and this
technology enables detection -- of radioactive or nuclear
material, for example -- in a seamless manner. The crane picks
up the container and if it detects a threat, it puts that
container aside and picks up another. Loading continues
uninterrupted while the security team inspects the suspect
container. The effectiveness of this techn