Protecting ports, harbors, terminals, and ships against cargo theft, smuggling, drugs, weapons, and terrorism continues to pose an ongoing challenge for federal, state, and local governments and industry.

Six years after the terror attacks of September 11th, the policy landscape is continuing to evolve. The Administration, Congress, and those of us in the trade and maritime logistics industries understand that protecting and securing the supply chain, which delivers goods to U.S. consumers, is and will continue to be one of our most important national security priorities. This mandate has been supported by significant expenditures in the security area by the Government and private sectors.

Legislative initiatives and strategies such as the Port and Maritime Security Act, Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA), and its international counterpart, the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS) are starting to pay dividends on the investments made in these programs.

The Container Security Initiative (CSI), operational in nearly 50 ports, the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT), with over 10,000 participating companies, and the WCO SAFE Framework are indicative of the sound strategies and tactics which have been developed to address security in the international maritime and supply chain areas. The Department of Homeland Security's Secure Freight Initiative and TSA efforts to issue new rules regarding the handling of air cargo all point to a continuing focus on the movement of cargo in maritime and other transport modes.

The SAFE Port Act, signed into law in October 2006, furthers the emphasis on port security by authorizing over $3.4 billion annually over five years for port security and $400 million a year over the next five years for training and exercises at ports. The Act sets forth a number of standards and requirements designed to enhance seaport security. For example, it will require the nation's 22 largest ports using radiation portal monitors and next generation technologies to conduct comprehensive radiological screening of essentially all container movements entering the U.S. by land or sea. Additionally, DHS is required to establish pilot programs in three (3) foreign ports to test non-intrusive cargo inspection technologies to screen 100 percent of U.S. bound containers.

Background checks and credentialing programs will be required for all maritime workers at the nation's ports. DHS will establish and implement protocols for the resumption of operations following a disruption; and enhanced benefits, such as fewer customs inspections, will be provided for trusted shippers and companies meeting established security standards.

But beyond the security focus, which has been a by-product of the events of September 11th, the City of New Orleans, the Gulf Coast, and Hurricane Katrina remind us of the potential for natural disruptions, which can be even more devastating than a terrorist attack.

Continuity of operations will require the Government and private sectors to devise strategies and the infrastructure capabilities to ensure trade continues to flow even if there is an incident - be it man-made or natural. These systems and operational protocols will be the linchpin in defining the response and ensuring we can keep the system working as we sort through the ramifications of the event. Add to this ever-increasing trade volumes that must be processed through maritime and port infrastructures, which are aging and already stretched to their maximum capacity, and it is clear there are still many challenges we must face.

Secretary Chertoff, in a recent speech before the members of the American Association of Port Authorities, noted that while DHS has considerable authority when it comes to our nation's ports, it does not actually own or manage those ports. Consequently, when it comes to security at the ports, it has to be about partnership between the public and private sectors. And he took the opportunity to thank AAPA for the tremendous cooperation they have shown to DHS and the close working relationship between his agencies and the people who have the responsibility for running the ports day-to-day.

What is clear from all of this activity is that the public and private sectors will need to remain squarely focused on this issue. While much has been done, much more remains to be done and the emphasis on maritime security and domain awareness will continue to be a front burner issue for the foreseeable future - and one that mush be shared by the public and private sectors.

This collaboration has been central to the significant advances since September 11th in protecting our ports, and the billions of dollars of commerce that enter our country every year through the maritime domain. Much of this has been the result new international maritime standards and security regulations, new technology and infrastructure improvements, and grant funding.

As we move forward, this collaboration will be essential to finding solutions to the security, operations and infrastructure issues we will collectively need to address. The Maritime Security Exposition will continue to be one of your key partners in focusing on these issues. Our 2007 Expo event will showcase companies in the exhibit hall with technologies, products, and services designed to help with port expansion, modernization and maintenance, congestion, and the additional security requirements that port expansion creates.