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New port security inspection system debuts in Charleston
By Shelia Watson
Contributing Writer
A new port security cargo screening system was unveiled today for use at the Port of Charleston’s U.S. Customs and Border Protection Container Examination Station.
The OmniView Gantry X-ray Inspection System is able to penetrate up to 14 inches of steel, which provides port officials a comprehensive and secure means of inspecting cargo containers for terrorist threats. It is also deployed on a gantry system, which allows mobility.
The system was developed jointly by American Science and Engineering Inc. and the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center-Southeast, a program of the National Institute of Justice that is administered by the South Carolina Research Authority.
OmniView will be transferred to Project Seahawk and operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Development of the equipment was funded through a grant from the National Institute of Justice.
“The relocatable OmniView Gantry is an ideal solution to secure our nation’s ports,” said Anthony Fabiano, president and CEO of American Science and Engineering, which is working closely with the Port of Charleston to provide technology for efficient inspection of containerized cargo. The company develops and supplies X-ray inspection systems for a range of uses, including detection of plastic explosives and weapons, liquid explosives, dirty bombs and nuclear devices. The company’s product line includes cargo inspection systems and baggage screening systems.
The Port of Charleston, one of the largest container ports in the nation, is home to Project Seahawk, a law enforcement task force that brings together federal, state and local agencies to improve port security and serves as a model for other ports around the nation.
“This further enhances the Port of Charleston’s aggressive security posture,” said Bernard S. Groseclose Jr., president and CEO of the South Carolina Ports Authority. “It is vital that increased security be balanced with the smooth flow of commerce. This new unit will help do that.”
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