@Risk

Although we haven’t seen much national press about it recently, piracy remains a formidable threat in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. Obviously, the risks are particularly acute for shippers that routinely traverse those waters, and now, the world’s three largest container shipping companies have decided to join forces in hopes of combating the problem.

CMA CGM, MSC and Maersk Line announced last week that they have formed a new partnership designed to: 1) foster information exchange on safety measures, piracy policies and procedures, and 2) coordinate efforts for addressing the issue with all relevant stakeholders.

In particular, CMA CGM, MSC and Maersk Line say they support: (more…)

Mexico continues to be a positive business proposition for many companies. However there’s no doubt that it is becoming increasingly more challenging –and more costly –to mitigate risks to operations, supply chains and personnel there.

Consider this: Since 2006, more than 24,000 people have been killed in drug violence in Mexico, and as an article in The Dallas Morning News puts it: (more…)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has made progress in mitigating the threat of nuclear and radiological weapons in maritime cargo containers, but the agency needs to do more to address the threats posed by biological and chemical weapons, according to a new report from the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General.

The 19-page report, “CBP’s Ability to Detect Biological and Chemical Threats in Maritime Cargo Containers,” reviews current policy and initiatives, and it concludes that CBP should: (more…)

While there’s no doubt that US port security has improved significantly since 9/11, we still have a long way to go.

Of course, it’s no small task to assure goods move effectively and securely through our ports –which last year serviced some 7.8 billion tons of cargo, valued at $8.6 trillion, according to the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA).
(more…)