RAE Systems and Vastera Present New Controls for Maritime Security
In response to the U.S. Customs & Border Protection's Container Security Initiative, RAE Systems Inc. (AMEX:RAE) and Vastera (Nasdaq:VAST) today announced that the companies are jointly providing the first end-to-end physical trade security and compliance offering. The solution is designed to help global importers and exporters more effectively manage and monitor their maritime cargo while fulfilling the complex requirements of U.S. and international trade laws. The new offering integrates Vastera's automated global trade management solutions with a variety of RAE Systems' wirelessly networked security sensors. Logistics and supply chain personnel now can more easily manage their trade compliance requirements while gaining unparalleled visibility and active early warning into whether their cargo containers have been breached, well before they arrive in port.
The joint offering combines RAE Systems' robust RAEWatch wireless sensor networks and Vastera's TradeSphere, a suite of web-based applications that streamline and automate the information exchanges associated with the cross-border movement of goods. RAEWatch security sensors are deployed in cargo shipping containers to monitor radiation, intrusion and temperature. Placing no overhead for additional data requirements on the ocean carrier, RAEWatch sensors seamlessly transmit data to logistics and trade compliance applications such as Vastera TradeSphere, merging the container's identification and security status with standard shipment and manifest data. Should a container be breached, RAEWatch sends an alert to TradeSphere, enabling the customer to contact appropriate security and Customs authorities to prevent breached containers from clearing Customs without inspection.
"The disturbing fact is that the global supply chain remains one of the most critical gaps in our national and economic security," said Rudy Mui, vice president of marketing for RAE Systems. "Ninety percent of world cargo moves by container, and only a very few of the seven million containers that enter the U.S. every year are ever inspected. Active, end-to-end monitoring must be employed, from the point of loading to the place of delivery. The combined solution from RAE Systems and Vastera takes a huge step in providing real-time data at every point in the supply chain to give global trade managers the timely data they need to protect human lives."
"If terrorists were to carry out an attack on a seaport using a cargo container, the maritime trading system would likely grind to a halt until seaport security is improved," said Bruce Lovett, vice president of marketing for Vastera. "By integrating physical security and monitoring capabilities that allow customers to have greater visibility into and control of their cargo, Vastera continues to remain a leader in delivering global trade solutions that address the latest compliance concerns and regulations."
According to U.S. Customs & Border Protection, more than 200 million cargo containers move between major seaports each year. In the United States, almost half of incoming trade (by value) arrives by ship. Nearly seven million cargo containers arrive on ships and are offloaded at U.S. seaports each year. For more information on the U.S. Customs & Border Protection's Container Security Initiative, visit: http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/enforcement/international_activities/csi/.
