WASHINGTON (Nov. 21, 2002) — The U.S. Dept. of Transportation and U.S. Customs Service yesterday announced a program to fund business initiatives designed to make the country’s massive container cargo system more secure.

The program, Operation Safe Commerce, will be used to identify existing vulnerabilities in the supply chain and address them. Those security techniques that prove successful under the program will then be recommended for implementation systemwide.

Congress has provided $28 million US to fund the program. A committee led by DOT and Customs officials will select projects for funding and manage for the program.

“Securing America’s ports is essential for protecting our homeland, which is why I developed Operation Safe Commerce and pushed it through Congress,” said Sen. Patty Murray, chair of the Senate Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee. “Container traffic is critical to the health of our economy, but we do not know enough about what’s in the more than 6 million containers that enter our nation each year. This initiative will ensure the security of the containers that will pass through our ports and on to America’s highways and railways.”