Following the events of September 11, 2001, safety and security considerations have been at the forefront of international concerns. A variety of different unilateral and multilateral security measures regulations and legislative initiatives have been developed or are under consideration.
Given that world trade is largely dependent on maritime transport, much of the focus has been directed at enhancing maritime transport security and at addressing the particular challenges posed by containerised transport. The different sets of rules and measures which have been implemented or are being considered internationally need to be properly understood and their potential impacts on trade and transport, particularly of developing countries, needs to be assessed.
This report provides a first step in this direction, by focusing on the main measures relevant to maritime container security, namely those initiated by the U.S., and by presenting the most important international developments in context. The aim of the report is to present a clear overview over the new security environment and to offer some preliminary analysis of potential impacts for the trade and transport of developing countries.
Comments received from the United States Government on US Container Security Initiatives. [PDF, 5 pages] (The comments are reproduced in the form and language in which they were received.)
