Scanning of all air and sea cargo warning
Former head of U.S. customs says U.S. government's plans to implement scanning of all air and sea cargo destined for the U.S. is a "simpleton's approach" to supply chain security
Business people in New Zealand are worried about the implications of a law requiring tightening of inspection of U.S.-bound cargo. Robert Bonner, former commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the time of the 9/11 terror attacks and now a member of the Unisys Security Advisory Panel, said on a visit to New Zealand that the 100 percent container inspection law, if implemented, would create significant logistical problems, given that up to 600 ports around the world export to the United States.
In August, President George Bush signed into law legislation which would require all foreign shipping containers destined for the United States to be scanned, at ports of origin, with imaging and radiation detection equipment for components of nuclear weapons. This would come into effect within five years. Scanning of all air cargo would be phased in over three years. The United States is New Zealand's second-largest trading partner.
