Technology could ease new border security concerns

July 2002 Products & Solutions

The critical flow of commercial traffic across US borders with Canada and Mexico has been an economic victim of the 11 September terrorist attacks. Heightened security has resulted in massive delays crippling trans-border commerce. There are technological solutions available today to improve traffic flow and increase security. EDS expert Al Decker explains.

About $1 million in goods crosses the Canadian-US border each minute, so neither country is keen on having commerce slowed to a crawl by stepped-up security measures. However, that is the new reality after 11 September. Truckers used to wait 15 to 30 minutes at US-Canadian border checkpoints; now delays of six to eight hours have been reported. Worse delays have been experienced at the Mexico-US border.

Manufacturers, business owners and state, provincial and local officials desperately want to speed up the flow of traffic. For manufacturers, the traffic snarls increase the time needed to get their products to market. They put a large kink in the supply chain. Business owners must still deliver products to their customers quickly. For commercial trucking companies, time is money. The slowdowns are a serious issue because the United States is Canada's largest trading partner, and delays in getting goods to consumers have important implications for the countries' economies.

For example, trade between New York State and Ontario is estimated at $20 bn annually. Another $1 billion in trade passes between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, each day. The statistics with Mexican trade are similar. In a recent survey, nearly 75% of San Diego businesses said sales to Mexican residents have plummeted since security restrictions were tightened after 11 September.

Electronic cargo identification

We all know, despite the need to quicken the flow of goods across the borders, security must remain a top priority for all three nations. Fortunately, there are technological remedies for ensuring security without sacrificing speed. One solution is electronic cargo identification. A data file is created as cargo is loaded for shipment. Cargo loaded onto a truck, for instance, can be tracked so customs agents know what is aboard when the vehicle arrives at the border.

Sensors on the truck can send an electronic alert if the trailer's doors are opened or removed before the vehicle reaches its destination. And with a global positioning system, the truck can be tracked along its journey. All the shipment's data is stored at a data centre, processed and transmitted by wireless technology in realtime to border agents. They can tell immediately whether the doors were opened, the truck deviated from its intended course or the cargo was tampered with.

If a trailer's doors were opened en route or if the driver made an unplanned stop, the truck and its contents would be inspected. Otherwise, no inspection would be needed, saving precious time. Customs and immigration agents can then focus their attention on shipments and individuals not previously screened.

Biometrics

As in the airline industry, biometrics are another important piece of the security solution. Using the truck driver's facial, retina or hand features and voice recognition technology, inspectors can quickly determine if the driver is who he says he is. Voice recognition also helps indicate whether he is driving under duress.

EDS employs biometric kiosks at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport, one of the world's busiest. The Ben Gurion system uses hand geometry to identify frequent travellers. Security and immigration waits have been sliced from a couple of hours to 15 seconds, speeding passengers to their destinations. Airport and border security officials can devote more of their limited resources to unknown passengers.

Using biometrics and tracking technologies can pare the wait at borders from hours to a few minutes, keeping commerce rolling. The 11 September attacks showed us that security is a critical part of any business plan. But the need for security does not have to cripple the movement of goods. Applying the right technologies we can ensure security while economies continue to thrive.

For further details contact James van den Heever, EDS South Africa on tel: 011 239 0073.





Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page



Further reading:

Hikvision launches AcuSeek NVR
Surveillance Products & Solutions AI & Data Analytics
By integrating natural language interaction, Hikvision’s AcuSeek NVR enables precise video and image retrieval within seconds, marking a transformative milestone for the security industry's advance into intelligent and efficient applications.

Read more...
Biometric security key for phishing-resistant MFA
Products & Solutions Access Control & Identity Management
New FIDO-compliant USB, Bluetooth, and NFC BioKeys with biometric login and centralised management for phishing-resistant, passwordless multifactor authentication (MFA) for enterprise users.

Read more...
Fastest PCIe Gen 5.0 NVMe SSD
Products & Solutions Infrastructure
Sandisk has unveiled the WD_BLACK SN8100 NVMe SSD with PCIe Gen 5.0 technology, an internal SSD delivering speeds up to 14 900 MB/s and capacities up to 4 TB, with 8 TB solutions available soon.

Read more...
Synology announces the PAS7700
Products & Solutions
The PAS7700 integrates two controllers and 48 NVMe SSD bays within a 4U chassis and can scale up to 1.65 PB of raw capacity with seven additional expansion units.

Read more...
Unified storage solution
Products & Solutions Infrastructure
CASA Software has announced the local availability of Nexsan’s upgraded unified storage solution, Unity NV4000, which is ideal for mixed workloads, from virtualisation and video surveillance to secure backup and recovery.

Read more...
Analyse, automate, and optimise logistics processes
neaMetrics Surveillance Transport (Industry) Products & Solutions Logistics (Industry)
In today’s rapidly evolving logistics sector, the pressure to improve process efficiency, optimise resource usage, and ensure seamless security is more intense than ever. Smart, proactive surveillance is no longer a luxury — it is a critical operational necessity.

Read more...
Gallagher Security releases OneLink
Gallagher Animal Management Products & Solutions Access Control & Identity Management
Gallagher Security has announced OneLink, a cloud-based solution that makes it faster, easier and more cost-effective to deploy security anywhere in the world, transforming how security can be delivered to remote sites and distributed infrastructure.

Read more...
Seamless visitor management
Secutel Technologies Products & Solutions
Secutel Technologies recently launched SecuVisit, a cloud-based visitor access control system. SMART Security Solutions asked Secutel’s Norman Pretorius for more information on the product and its capabilities.

Read more...
IQ Panels now supported by PowerManage
Johnson Controls - (Tyco Security Products) Products & Solutions
IQ Panels, now supported by PowerManage, simplify installation and data management. The PowerManage interactive platform allows for localised data storage, so customer information is not stored in the cloud or exposed to a third party.

Read more...
Remote monitoring made easy
Products & Solutions
Links Field Networks offers the wireless P5 Plus Solar outdoor PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) camera, which is perfect for security monitoring in remote areas. It includes 4G connectivity with a data package.

Read more...










While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.




© Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd. | All Rights Reserved.