Singapore to Scan U.S.-Bound Cargo for Hazardous Material

Singapore to Scan U.S.-Bound Cargo for Hazardous Material
(AFP)

Singapore, one of the world's busiest container ports, will scan U.S.-bound cargo for hazardous materials under an international trial project, a statement said Monday.

Officials from the two countries have signed a declaration to conduct the six-month trial under the Secure Freight Initiative (SFI), a joint statement from the U.S. embassy and Singapore's Ministry of Transport said.

Singapore is one of seven global ports participating in the trial, under which U.S.-bound shipping containers are scanned for nuclear or radiological materials before being loaded onto ships, the statement said.

Data from the scanning are sent in near real-time to the United States where officers determine whether the container carries hazardous material, it said.

"This trial project is an important step toward a possible trade model that secures the global supply chain," said the United States ambassador to Singapore, Patricia Herbold.

SFI trials began in Honduras in April. Other participating ports are in the United Kingdom, Oman, Pakistan, South Korea and Hong Kong.

Data from the trial will allow the U.S. to assess the viability and effectiveness of implementing 100 percent scanning of US-bound containers, the statement said.