What is CSI all about?

By Vijay Kumar

This is what the US Customs Chief says about it, “In post-9/11 America the Container Security Initiative (CSI) is based on an idea that makes sense: extend our zone of security outward so that American borders are the last line of defense, not the first. Through CSI, maritime containers that pose a risk for terrorism are identified and examined at foreign ports before they are shipped to the United States”

So it is basically American Security that matters. Fair enough; they allow reciprocation.

CSI consists of four core elements:

1. Using intelligence and automated information to identify and target containers that pose a risk for terrorism;

2. pre-screening those containers that pose a risk at the port of departure before they arrive at U.S. ports;

3. using detection technology to quickly pre-screen containers that pose a risk; and

4. using smarter, tamper-evident containers.

Under the CSI program, the screening of containers that pose a risk for terrorism is accomplished by teams of CBP (Customs and Border Protection) officials deployed to work in concert with their host nation counterparts.

Containerized shipping is a critical component of global trade because about 90 percent of the world's trade is transported in cargo containers. In the United States, almost half of incoming trade (by value) arrives by containers onboard ships. Nearly nine million cargo containers arrive on ships and are offloaded at U.S. seaports each year.

Early on, CSI focused on implementing the program at the top 20 foreign ports which ship approximately two thirds of the volume of containers to the U.S. Governments from these 20 foreign ports have already agreed to implement CSI.

As CSI has evolved, CBP hopes to expand the program to additional ports based on volume, location and strategic concerns. Strong support from countries on the European, Asian and African continents ensure that CSI will continue to expand to ports in those areas.

Also a reciprocal program, CSI offers its participant countries the opportunity to send their customs officers to major U.S. ports to target ocean-going, containerized cargo to be exported to their countries. Likewise, CBP shares information on a bilateral basis with its CSI partners.

As part of reciprocal CSI agreements with Japan and Canada, those countries currently station their customs personnel in U.S. ports as part of the CSI program.

When will Indian Customs officers be posted in US ports? (And where will it figure in the transfer policy – sensitive?)