Seattle's Port and Longshore Union call for Rapid, Rational Security Improvements

Maritime security measures currently under discussion in Washington, D.C. should focus on practical steps that will secure cargo from its point of origin to its final destination and include adequate resources for implementation according to two local maritime industry officials.

Port of Seattle CEO Mic Dinsmore and International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 19 President Herald Ugles said today that effective security measures should ensure the expedited flow of trade, be affordable, enhance safety and security, and avoid putting hundreds of thousands of jobs at risk throughout the United States.

"Nearly five years after September 11 we have yet to implement the kinds of security measures that will protect our ports and the global trading system," Dinsmore said. "While I'm pleased to see more focus on the issue in our nation's capital, we have to pay close attention to the measures being discussed so that what we end up with is effective and maintains the reliability of our ports and transportation system."

Ugles echoed Dinsmore's comments and pointed out that dockworkers have a compelling professional and personal interest in ensuring security and efficiency in the maritime industry.

"Longshore workers are the first people to handle ocean cargo when it enters the country and the last to handle it before it leaves," Ugles said. "It is crucial that the Department of Homeland Security - specifically the U.S. Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection - are given both the legal authority and the funding to implement effective maritime security programs that protect transportation workers, the general public and our economy. Some of the security procedures could be performed with existing personnel at little added cost."

Both the Port and the Longshore Union support the GreenLane Maritime Cargo Security Act sponsored by Senator Patty Murray of Washington and Senator Susan Collins of Maine.

The bill, which was approved Tuesday, May 2, by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security, provides new incentives for shippers that demonstrate a sustained commitment to meeting the requirements of the Customs-Trade Partnerships Against Terrorism (C-TPAT). Under C-TPAT, shippers agree to develop, enhance and maintain effective security processes through global supply chains under the supervision of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). C-TPAT members get expedited customs clearance in return - the so-called "GreenLane." Non-participating shippers are subject to a higher degree of scrutiny by CBP.

Also contained in the bill is a proposal to require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop a comprehensive strategic plan to enhance international supply chain security for all modes of transportation by which containers arrive in, depart from or move through the United States.

If passed, the bill will establish an Office of Cargo Security Policy to ensure accountability and coordination of security policies, procedures and regulations within DHS and among other agencies. Joint Operations Centers to ensure a coordinated, measured response to security threats and resumption of trade and commerce in the event of a threat or attack also would be established.

Without the funding to hire and train the right number of employees for the Coast Guard and CBP to conduct security activities both in the U.S. and abroad, security mandates will not be fulfilled, Ugles and Dinsmore agreed.

The Port of Seattle was the nation's fifth-largest container port in 2005, handling a total of 2.08 million containers. The port also has a thriving cruise business with 200 departures to Alaska in the 2006 cruise season. Maritime activities at Seattle's seaport generate more than 18,000 jobs and over $1 billion in payroll throughout the region.