Technology Roots Out Cargo Risks; Santos Starts Screening; Massive volume of cargo forces security teams to rely heavily on tech tools.(INTERNET & TECHNOLOGY)

Byline: J. BONASIA

A big threat to U.S. homeland security involves the difficulty of screening the 7 million cargo containers that carry 95% of imported goods into the nation's ports each year.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents physically inspected just 6% of all cargo containers last year. Officials say security measures let them rule out the other 94% for potential threats.

New technologies are crucial to spot the needles of risk that lurk among haystacks of cargo, says Michael Berzon, chairman of the nonprofit History of Containerization Foundation. And the technologies are coming.

"If we have to physically inspect 100% of containers that come into the U.S., we might as well tell al-Qaida they've won because that would paralyze world trade," he said.

Since 9-11, federal officials have launched numerous efforts to protect U.S. ports. They've funded research into new surveillance and other technologies. They've also signed trade agreements with countries to enhance maritime safety.

Last month, Brazil agreed to screen all cargo bound for the U.S. from Santos, South America's largest port. That pact grew out of the Container Security Initiative, a U.S.-led global effort to thwart terrorist attacks.