It is an equally pressing, and arguably more challenging, concern within the maritime industry, with port and terminal operators requiring technology to detect a wide range of problems and satisfy regulatory policies. Indeed, while the market has not been immune to the effects of the global recession of recent times, such policies have proved beneficial for manufacturers. “The global economic downturn has affected the business in terms of delayed projects due to budget cuts,” explains Charlotte Breitwieser, public relations manager for London-based, global security company Smiths Detection. “Customers apparently do only install or invest in what is absolutely necessary or mandatory at the moment based on national and international regulations. Yet, we cannot complain that there are many projects cancelled. Rather, there are still many projects we are working on and several tenders for new projects are published or are in preparation.” Smiths identify high-energy material discrimination as being one of the most important technological innovations its company has made in X-ray technology over the last five years. “High-energy material discrimination ensures the detection and exact location of suspicious items such as smuggled goods, explosives and drugs, as the individual base material of items is displayed in colour codes giving an easy-to-interpret overview of container, truck and train load contents, which can be quickly compared to load declarations and other cargo documents,” says Breitwieser. “Smiths Detection was a pioneer in that respect and registered a related patent for that approach with Cambridge University. Installing a first high-energy scanner with that functionality in Algeria in 2004 was a milestone for our high-energy branch of the business. In the meantime more and more customers have specifically requested high-energy material discrimination; however, many customers are still widely unaware of that particular technological approach, and therefore Smiths Detection is developing an educational programme to train and inform them about the capabilities and the great benefits of that specific area of X-ray technology.” She adds: “The second, extremely important technological innovation is automatic radioactive material detection in combination with X-ray detection. Smiths Detection also took a leading role in this approach and developed the so-called ARD (automatic radioactive material detection) functionality. Partnering with a worldwide renowned key player in radioactivity detection, the technology is regularly adapted to evolving and new threats. A combined X-ray, gamma-ray and neutron-based detection capability as offered by Smiths Detection decreases the number of manual searches on innocent alarm. The gamma and neutron detectors can be positioned on both sides of the inspected container. As soon as a radioactivity rate is significantly superior to natural background radiation, or an overall critical radioactive rate is detected, operators automatically receive a visual warning on their displays. Once the scan is done, the system delivers a unique X-ray image with radioactive detection diagnosis. Thus, the customs or port operator is presented with an X-ray and a radioactive nuclear detection graphic simultaneously on the screen. Due to a colour scale an interpretation can be facilitated quickly and reliably, resulting in corresponding safety measures to prevent accidents and injuries. “Concluding from the findings at the Nuclear Security Summit earlier this month [April], this technological innovation will be driven forward even more in the following years, as it was and is extremely important to the community of 47 nations gathered at the event in Washington DC to prevent the illegal trade traffic of radioactive material and unregistered sources perhaps intended for abuse, for example ‘dirty bombs’.”
For its part in terms of technological innovation, American Science & Engineering (AS&E) introduced two new systems to the market in 2009. First came the Sentry Portal System last August. A high throughput, high-penetration cargo inspection system designed to quickly and safely scan trucks, AS&E describes Sentry as being safe for drivers and operators, offering the “unique” combination of high-penetration capability and “unsurpassed” image quality. The company states that the system is an ideal solution for high-volume seaports, border crossings, and security checkpoints. The Sentry Portal System can also be deployed along with AS&E’s multi-view Z Portal screening system for three-sided imaging of the entire vehicle (including the cab) and the detection of organic materials such as drugs, explosives, or stowaways.
The second aforementioned addition to the AS&E product range came in September last year, when the company introduced the MobileSearch High-Energy cargo and vehicle inspection system. Equipped with high-energy transmission and the company’s patented Z Backscatter X-ray imaging, the system is designed to detect threats and contraband including weapons, explosives, drugs, and currency. The MobileSearch High-Energy cargo and vehicle inspection system offers multiple scan modes for high-speed scanning of passenger vehicles or oversized or odd-shaped cargo, allowing the operational flexibility of the Z Backscatter Van in either ‘drive-by’ mode to scan stationary objects, or ‘portal’ mode to scan vehicles as they drive past the system. The system also features an integrated cab design that offers ergonomic benefits to drivers and operators, providing a spacious environment for enhanced communications and comfort. AS&E states that MobileSearch HE is ideal for homeland security and drug interception missions at seaports, border crossings, and other high threat checkpoints. The company adds that the system offers “the largest tunnel size in the industry, allowing for the inspection of oversize cargo and vehicles”. The mobile system can travel on roads at highway speeds. AS&E adds that MobileSearch HE offers two complementary imaging technologies integrated in one system. Its 4.5 MeV high-energy transmission X-ray generates high-penetration and high-resolution images for the inspection of densely loaded cargo, with typical penetration of more than 12 inches (300 mm) of steel. AS&E states that its patented Z Backscatter technology offers the additional benefits of photo-like images and improved image analysis time and, unlike transmission X-rays, provides a wide field of view with no tyre or ground cutoff, allowing for the effective scanning of passenger vehicles and tyres. MobileSearch HE offers multiple scan modes for added flexibility. During normal operations, the system scans over stationary vehicles and cargo with both transmission and Z Backscatter imaging with the boom deployed. Additionally, MobileSearch HE can operate in Z Backscatter-only mode, with the boom stowed for high speed scanning of passenger vehicles or oversized or odd-shaped cargo. In Z Backscatter-only mode, the system is safe to scan drivers and passengers while they remain in their vehicles.
Recent contracts
Swiss-based company Cotecna announced in March that it had launched scanner operations for imported containers at the Port of Pointe Noire as part of its goods inspection contract with the Government of the Republic of Congo. Following on from an original pre-shipment contract signed in March 2006, an addendum was signed on June 29 last year for the supply and installation of a 3.8MeV container system at the Congolese port along with a computerised risk management system (CRMS). This addendum extended the contract for a further four years starting from the first container scan. The programme assists the Government of the Republic of Congo in their Customs capacity building and revenue protection programmes and in improving security. CRMS is a system designed to assist customs officials in determining the appropriate level of intervention of each trade transaction, depending on the type of goods to be inspected. Cotecna is responsible for training local staff and customs agent
s to ensure the maximum efficiency of the new tools. Cotecna has more than 70 staff in the Congo between their head and operating office in Pointe-Noire and its liaison office in the nation’s capital, Brazzaville. A further deal for Cotecna came in April when its Mexican subsidiary signed an extension to its customs inspection contract with Servicio de Administración Tributaria (Services of Tax Administration) in the North American nation. The four-year contract, which was originally signed in February 2006, has been extended until December this year. Cotecna states that the service, known as ‘Segundo Reconocimiento’, or second inspection, is the only service of its kind in the world. The service is mandatory by law and is carried out by almost 120 Cotecna employees in the Customs Primary Zones at 16 border ports of entry. The system provides physical and documentary revision of imported goods, the verification of goods of foreign origin that are in transit to ensure they are en route for their final destination such as a factory, warehouse or store, and verification of the existence or physical location of the supplier, producer or buyer as declared in the invoice or other customs documents. The objective is to protect national production and manufacturing. In February, Smiths Detection announced that it had sealed contracts for 13 advanced X-ray cargo-screening systems to be deployed across Saudi Arabia to inspect inbound and outbound containers and trucks. These contracts are for seven stationary HCVG (Heimann Cargo Vision Gantry) scanners and six mobile HCVM systems, built to use high-energy X-ray scanning at ports, airports and border crossings to inspect trucks, containers and other vehicles for contraband, weapons, explosives and narcotics.
American Science and Engineering Inc informed World Port Development of several deals it has struck over the past year. One of these, sealed in November 2009, was to supply its OmniView Gantry cargo and X-ray inspection system to the Venice Port Authority in Italy, in conjunction with Nethun SpA. The system is designed to inspect cargo for threats and contraband, combining 6.0 MeV high-energy transmission X-ray with AS&E’s three-sided Z Backscatter X-ray imaging for “the most reliable means of detecting contraband and threatening materials, such as weapons and explosives hidden in cargo containers, tankers, and vehicles.” AS&E states that the OmniView Gantry System is “the only multi-view, relocatable system available today that combines high-energy transmission inspection plus multiple Z Backscatter X-ray views.” Using its patented Shaped Energy technology, the OmniView Gantry system provides high levels of penetration into complex cargo and dense objects, up to 14 inches (350 mm) of steel, without an exterior building or heavy shielding. On home soil, AS&E announced in October last year the receipt of an order from US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for multiple MobileSearch HE cargo and vehicle inspection systems equipped with both high-energy transmission and Z Backscatter X-ray imaging for detecting threats and contraband including weapons, explosives, drugs, and currency. The MobileSearch HE system is designed to offer two complementary imaging technologies integrated in one system. Its 4.5 MeV high-energy transmission X-ray generates high-penetration and high-resolution images for the inspection of densely loaded cargo, with typical penetration over 12 inches (300 mm) of steel, the company states. The system also utilises Z Backscatter X-ray imaging to assist in the identification of organics for improved detection of explosive threats and other organic contraband.