WASHINGTON, (Jan. 3, 2005) — The chief of U.S. Customs is proposing a system allowing cargo coming into the U.S. in “smart” containers to be expedited through shipping ports, and perhaps even bypass Customs clearance.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Robert C. Bonner said this week that the agency will add another tier of security to the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) program, which grants certain shippers who meet heightened security guidelines expedited turnaround of goods.

The plan is expected to help clear the backlog of containers piling up at shipping ports all over the U.S. Currently, container inspections can delay shipments by an average of seven days.

The voluntary program — dubbed C-TPAT Plus — would incorporate new wireless technology, likely some form of RFID, inside containers. The wireless sensors would monitor containers from point to point and scan them for signs of tampering. The “smart box” technology is currently undergoing field tests on vessels using busy shipping lanes between Singapore and Southern California, the L.A. Times reports.

The plan is expected to attract some of the biggest just-in-time shippers in the automotive and energy services industries.

— with files from the L.A. Times