Maritime and Ports

Rockefeller wants container scanning mandate reconsidered
DHS secretary Janet Napolitano: “The costs of 100 percent scanning are very steep, especially in a down economy…. DHS equipment costs alone will be about $8 million for every one of the more than 2,100 shipping lanes at the more than 700 ports that ship to the United States.”
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Using rope to fight pirates
New antipiracy device uses compressed air to fire a plastic cylinder containing either a coiled rope or net up to a range of 400 meters; the coiled line of net or rope, which has a parachute attached to the end, will unravel and lay out across the surface of the water; as a pirate boat travels through the water its propeller shaft will pick up the line and become entangled
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Rockefeller targets container security
The U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-West Virginia) said this week he is working in partnership with DHS inspector general to update current port security procedures better to protect against biological and chemical threats
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Small business alliance enters homeland security arena
A group of companies formed the Strategic Security Alliance to increase the visibility of its member firms and make them more competitive in the homeland and maritime security markets
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Port Manatee receives $1 million for security
Tampa Bay-area port receives stimulus package funds to improve port security
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Panelists call for more investment in anti-piracy technology
Experts on a panel at the International Maritime Museum of Hamburg call for more investment in anti-piracy technology, and for greater coordination among trading nations to address the threat of piracy
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Growth of Middle East ports means growth in demand for security
Rapid expansion of terminal capacity and new seaports to create growth opportunities in the Middle East maritime security market
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Ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach receive $15.3 million in security grants
Grants to help improve security at ports, support implementation of TWIC program; the ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach account for more imports and exports traffic than any other U.S. port
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Tutor Perini receives USCG contract
Leading civil construction company awarded a Coast Guard contract with maximum value of $500 million
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Sweden builds a new Baltic Sea surveillance system
After the mysterious disappearing of a Maltese-flagged cargo ship with a Russian crew in Swedish waters, Sweden decides to deploy a maritime surveillance system which will become operational in October
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Gallagher PowerFence system secures Ports of Auckland
A key factor in the decision to install a PowerFence system was that it is an intelligent system; it consists of independent fence zones which can be uniquely identified to accurately detect attack attempts to facilitate a fast appropriate response
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Compressed-air gun stops terrorist boats in their tracks
Compressed air is used on the shoulder-held device to propel a line from a pursuing boat which drags with it a high-tech, high tensile net to disable the target craft’s propulsion system
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International conference on piracy to meet in December
Scheduled to take place 6-9 December in Dubai, the International Quality and Productivity Center says the conference will host a forum and feature case studies to address complex issues surrounding piracy
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Coast Guards interdicts smugglers' semi-submersible
Latin American drug lords now rely on semi-submersibles to smuggle drugs into the United States; the other day, the USCG interdicts one semi-submersible in the Eastern Pacific
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Israel successfully tests anti-ship missile defense
During the summer 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war, the Shi’ia organization almost sank an Israeli ship with an advanced Iran-made anti-ship missile; Israel has now successfully tested a sophisticated defense against anti-ship missile — a defensive system which should be of interest to U.S. Navy ships on patrol at the Persian Gulf
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