• Growing concerns about security along the U.S.-Canada border

    The U.S.-Canada border is twice as long as the U.S.-Mexico border; there are 12,000 federal agents patrolling the U.S.-Mexico border, along with National Guard troops, soon to be augmented by 6,000 additional agents; there are fewer than 1,000 border patrol agents keeping an eye on the U.S.-Canada border

  • Border Web cameras along Texas-Mexico border go online again

    Texas governor Rick Perry found the funds to have virtual watch up and running — again — as early as January; Texans can register to have 200 border cameras feed images to their home PCs; if they see people crossing the border, the can call or e-mail authorities

  • New Australian visa requirements for foreign maritime crew

    Australia tightens maritime security: All nonmilitary foreign ship crew members — some 130,000 of them every year — now require a visa to enter Australia; nonmilitary ships include commercial vessels such as cargo vessels, cruise ships, and fishing vessels, and public or government scientific vessels

  • Organizational security: Alion takes stock and offer remedies

    Organizations which take their security seriously want to evaluate continuously their security situation and security policies; often they also must see that they are in compliance with government security mandates; serious organizations should take a look at Alion’s CounterMeasures

  • TWIC's enrollment continues apace

    DHS announces that ten more ports will enroll their employees in TWIC; since mid-October, enrollment has been taking place in twelve ports

  • Former CBP head says U.S. cargo scan plan is a "simpleton's approach"

    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

  • Canada's increasingly worried about Arctic vulnerabilities

    The Arctic has immense oil reserves and mineral wealth, but Canada has been slow to protect its northern sovereignty; this becomes even more important as receding Arctic ice makes Canada’s northern frontier more accessible to uninvited guests

  • DHS faces difficulties in enforcing immigration laws

    Congress failed to pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill, so states stepped forward to fill the void; the result: 1,400 pieces of immigration-related legislation introduced in state capitols across the country this year, many contradictory

  • Naval integration key to EU sea security

    European naval and maritime leaders call for greater cooperation among EU member-states’ navies, police forces, and coast guards to bolster Europe’s port and maritime security

  • Parker Hannifin buys Scan Subsea, KV Automation

    Parker, eager to strengthen its offshore presence on floating platforms in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, acquires Norwegian manufacturer of power and production umbilical cables for subsea installations

  • Cubic launches Maritime Security Program

    Program aims to assist federal regulators and the international port and shipping community to achieve compliance with new seaport security laws

  • TSA regulations create business, branding opportunities

    Businesses typically prefer fewer rather than more government regulations, but some regulations are a boon to business; in evidence: TSA’s 3-1-1 travel rules, which led large companies such as Hefty and Glad – and start-ups such as 311Travel Bag – to meet the need for TSA regulations-compliant consumer products

  • 2007 Maritime Security Expo: Security challenges, business opportunities

    The U.S. maritime transportation system — ports, ships, warehouses, access roads — is vast and sprawling; securing this system offers many opportunities for security-related businesses for two reasons: It is essential to the welfare and national security of the United States, and many of its nodes are vulnerable to attack and disruption

  • U.S. grants record number of student visas

    After a steady, post-9/11 decline in the number of foreign students coming to study in the United States, 2007 marks a turning point: The Department of State has granted of 651,000 student and exchange visitor visas — 10 percent more than in 2006 and 90,000 more than were issued in Fiscal Year 2001

  • DHS says its biometric-at-sea trial is a success

    Coast Guard completes 12-months trial of technology which captures fingerprints digitally from illegal migrants apprehended at sea; Coast Guard then uses satellite technology to compare the migrant information against US VISIT’s data