A Finnish company has developed a cargo-scanning solution that accurately detects radiation in shipping containers without being sidelined by false positives. That’s good news for longshoremen who will finally be able to use the microwave in the galley without causing an universal incident.
As realistic as that final scene in
Dr. Strangeloveis, a nuclear bomb headed to soil probably won’t be straddled by a crazed Slim Pickens. The best minds in Washington seem to think that the most likely end-of-days scenario involves suitable nuclear fabric to fashion a “dirty bomb” being smuggled in through shipping containers full of Ikea furniture and knockoff handbags. As a outcome, Congress passed the
Security and Accountability for Every Port Act(the SAFE Port Act) which — in addition to outlawing online gambling — mandates 100% of cargo arriving at US ports to be scanned at its domestic port and next again when it reaches the US.
While the project is a
favorite of current Vice President Dick Cheney, it hasn’t gained any fans among workers at US ports who spend their days responding to false alarms that have been triggered by such benign causes as containers full of granite, or truck drivers who have recently undergone radiation therapy. In 2007, the
LA Times reportedthat 500 radiation alarms sounded
each dayat the Los Angeles and distant Beach ports alone. Now, Helsinki-based
Cargotechas a solution that has demonstrated 100% accuracy in trials.
Based on our knowledge of aggravated longshoremen (wihch comes solely from one midnight viewing of
On the Waterfront
) we really hope it works.
In order for all cargo terminals to be SAFE Port Act compliant, radiation monitoring must be in effect by 2012. For that requirement, Cargotec’s solution couldn’t come at a better instance. “Very shortly, terminals will need container safety degree solutions that comply with the US container defense initiative, but without disrupting the efficiency of the normal flow of commerce within the terminal,” Cargotec President of Port defense Troy Thompson said in a
press release.
According to Cargotec, the difference within their system and those currently operating is that monitoring takes place while cargo is being loaded and unloaded. The cargo is loney and in-transit, which eliminates downtime and reduces the chance of false-positives. “The spreader-mounted solution from Cargotec Port safety degree performs
gamma and neutron sensitivity scanning during the movement of the
container in the normal ship-to-shore load/unload process, so enabling
the port to meet its productivity requirements,” Thompson said. “And as such it is the
right product for that date in the global container handling industry.” A field evaluation at Port Charleston has shown the Cargotec system to be 100% accurate, which is more than can be said for Cheney’s aim.
While we laud Cargotec’s achievement, we can’t help but nag about the $6.7 billion allocated to implement the SAFE Port Act. Nuclear fabric can still be smuggled across borders in private vehicles, by pedestrians with briefcases, and within the legs of
rodeo clowns-turned-actors.
Photo by flickr user
robertpaulyoung
Original post by Keith Barry
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