Port of Alexandria, Egypt, becomes member of "US Container Security Initiative"

WASHINGTON, Sept 28 (KUNA) -- U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Friday announced that the port of Alexandria, Egypt, became the 58th operational Container Security Initiative (CSI) port to target and pre-screen maritime cargo containers destined for U.S. ports.
"Preventing the smuggling of illicit nuclear weapons and radiological materials remains CBPs highest priority," said CBP Commissioner W. Ralph Basham. "CSI is a brilliant idea that serves the interests of both business and security. Through the workings of CSI, we must and will achieve our collective twin goals of security and trade facilitation." U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the government of Egypt co-signed the Declaration of Principles to bring the CBP Container Security Initiative to the port of Alexandria on June 22, 2006. CSI, launched months after the Sept.11, 2001, terrorist attacks, is a cooperative effort with host country governments to identify and screen high-risk shipments before they leave participating ports.
More than 85 percent of all cargo containers destined for U.S. shores originate in or are trans-shipped through 58 CSI ports in North, South and Central America, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. (end) rm.ajs KUNA 281853 Sep 07NNNN