Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Indian Port Institutes New Security Rules
Tuesday, 07 July 2009
Customs authorities at India’s Port of Jawaharlal Nehru issued a new set of rules to ensure strict implementation of the container scanning process at the country’s busiest box gateway. The directive follows a string of incidents where containers, specifically identified for scanning, evaded the agency’s scrutiny.
“It has been noticed that sometimes containers, which are selected for scanning, are not presented for scanning and are being taken directly to respective freight stations without scanning. This non-reporting of selected containers to the scanners is defeating the very purpose of scanning in the heightened security scenario,” Customs stated in its latest order.
The order broadly stipulates that once a container is selected for scanning, it will not be exempted from the process, and calls for a slew of corrective measures to plug any loopholes allowing for evasion under current procedures.
Authorities have requested scanning of all loaded and empty transshipment containers moving through the west coast hub as part of measures to tighten security, and agreed to install more scanners in a bid to hasten the process of scrutiny and minimize delays in traffic movements.
Nehru handles nearly 60 percent of India’s containerized traffic. In fiscal 2008-09, total volume handled by its three terminals was 3.95 million TEUs compared with 4.06 million TEUs the previous year.
Safeguarding the nation's security and preventing terrorists as well as weapons of mass destruction from entering the country, particularly through the sea route, have been New Delhi’s top priority since the Nov. 26 terrorist attacks in Mumbai that killed nearly 180 people.
Source: Journal of Commerce
