Impacts of Port Security on Supply Chain

This paper discusses the impact of port security on supply chain and how it has contributed to making supply chains around the globe successful and in the United States of America to be specific. It also looks at the technological advances that have been made to increase the port security so as to enhance safe shipping of commodities. The paper also discusses the container security initiative, the role of security managers, and the global partners’ nation in ensuring safe and productive supply chain and have secure ports.

Running head: IMPACTS OF SECURITY ON SUPPLIY CHAIN
Impacts of Port Security on Supply Chain
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IMPACT OF PORT SECURITY ON SUPPLY CHAIN 2
IMPACT OF PORT SECURITY ON SUPPLY CHAIN IN U.S
According to statistics is clear that the world’s ports play a critical role in the movements
of goods and services around the globe. In the United States of America, billions of dollars are
carried out and into the country through the ports. Globally 80 percent of the trade by volume
and about 70% trade by value are handled by the ports and carried via the see. More than 12
million containers are carried by ships per month according to Henry H. Willis of Rand Corp
who was giving a testimony before the homeland security and Government affairs in US Senate.
He said that around 500 billion dollars in the importation of containers and 200 billion dollars in
the exportation of containers are transacted through the American ports. From the statistic above
there is a clear reason why there is need to protect at the ports of united states. It is clear that the
supply of goods and services from different countries to us and vise versa happens along the
coast. The following paper looks deep into what the impact of p[ort security in the supply chain
and specifically the period after 9/11 attack where the homeland security department was
formed. It also discusses the impact advance technology has brought to the efficiency of the port
security. Generally, the paper looks at how port security has contributed to making supply chains
around the globe successful and in the United States of America to be specific(Helmick, 2008).
To start with port security has brought a lot of impact on the supply chain since the attack
of 9/11. Maintaining security along the coast has provided a safe trading environment along the
coast. This has been possible because many traders from different parts of the globe are now
confident that any transactions made via the American poor are safe (Helmick, 2008). These
have increased the supply chain performance thus growth in the economy of the country. Port
security has also increased the efficiency of the supply chain. These have enabled easier and of
movement of goods and services from one place to the]other around the globe. However, the

IMPACT OF PORT SECURITY ON SUPPLY CHAIN 3
maintaining port security is very expensive and needs a lot of infrastructures. This has to lead to
a short time negative impact on the economy (Dowell, & McClellan,2017).
The economy of the United States of America highly depends on the efficiency and
safety of the trade e that happens around the ports. That’s shipping well in and out of the country
to the other parts of the globe through vessels such as ships. Therefore, many technological
advances have been made to increase the port security so as to enhance safe shipping of
commodities. One of the technological advances that have been made since the attack of 9/11 is
the introduction of containers in shipping activities. Ships called containers ships are designed to
carry manufactured goods and used products in containers of standard sizes (Dowell, &
McClellan,2017). This has improved the security of the good by ensuring that the goods in the
containers cannot be tampered with easily. Also, in addition, there has been the establishment of
a safer way of transporting rigidified gases using tankers. In addition, the country has invested a
lot in developing interoperable communication technology, which aids in port security. Also,
different devices such as vessel trackers and threat detection machines have been improvised.
The machines are able to detect threat underwater and monitor the vessels ensuring that vessels
do not interfere during shipping activities. This technology has contributed to ensuring safe and
efficient supply chain (Frittelli, 2008).
Container initiative has contributed a lot to the efficiency of supply chain and port
security. It has increased goods security, which enables the goods to reach their destination
safely and without being interfered. In addition, the work of loading and offloading the good
from the ships have been reduced. Parking goods in one container ensure an easier way of
loading them to the ship or any other mode of transport and offloading them. This has saved a lot
of time because delays caused by long offloading processes have been eliminated (Frittelli,

IMPACT OF PORT SECURITY ON SUPPLY CHAIN 4
2008). In addition, the trade does not face setbacks since there are no delays in shipping the
containers. The container initiatives is also a very economical method and have reduced the cost
of shipping goods around the globe. This is because very few people unlike when there were no
containers handle the containers and very many attendants were used during the shipping process
(Hönke, & Cuesta-Fernandez, 2018). It also economizes on the space in the shipping medium
example an airplane whereby the containers can be arranged in a good order avoiding wastage of
a lot of space. Monitoring of cargo has also been made easier. By use of a container, one need to
only monitor the container and not the specific goods and services in the container. Containers
initiative is, therefore, a bilateral system because it helps in shipping goods and also the
movement of goods in the country. Therefore, a country that signs for this initiative takes a major
role in enhancing global security and supply chain efficiency (Hönke, & Cuesta-Fernandez,
2018).
Containers have a lot of benefit in supply chain and contribute a lot to making shipping of
goods easy and efficiently (Kwak, Seo, & Mason, 2018). However, terrorist in threatening the
public security can use the same containers. That is why the container security initiative was very
necessary after the 9/11 attack in the United States of America. This is initiative addresses the
threat to global trade and border security, which is posed by the potential for terrorists to ship
weapons using, the containers. The container security initiative focuses on ensuring that all
containers are inspected at the country where they are being exported from before they are
loaded into the transportation vessel (Kwak, Seo, & Mason, 2018). Their mission is to develop
an investigation lead on how containers, which post a lot of threat to the American citizens, can
be identified so as to maintain port security and ensure smooth supply chain. The objectives of
the container security initiative based on three core elements; identification of higher risk

IMPACT OF PORT SECURITY ON SUPPLY CHAIN 5
containers, prescreening and evaluating containers before they are shipped into the country and
use technology to do the investigation and screening without interfering with supply chain
movement.
Security managers in the united states of America have played an important role in
increasing security and coordination. The department of homeland security initiative which was
created due to the 9/11 attack has contributed a lot to the port security through it, leadership and
organization (John, et al 2018). The department has set a section of port security where it has an
army, which protects the ports of the country. This army has a role to detect any terrorist target
and terrorist weapons. The homeland security department has also taken a keen interest in
safeguarding the borders of America. This extended border concept has contributed a lot in port
security and supply chain in the country. The departments of homeland security in relation with
the custom and border protection (CBP) have a primary role to play in facilitating and regulating
the flow of goods and services through the United States ports (John, et al 2018). They are stated
with the responsibility to ensure no illegal intrusion into the country through the borders of the
country. They also prevent entry of illegal goods including drugs in the country.
The global partners’ nation has also contributed to the efficiency of the port security
through different programs. For an instant the program of uniting all the countries to one goal of
maintaining a safe supply chain and port security. It has also contributed a lot in programs of
educating and training people on the importance of port security and thus enhancing supply chain
movement.
In conclusion, we have seen that the economy of many countries around the globe
depends highly on what goes through the ports. Statistics have proven that a lot of trading

IMPACT OF PORT SECURITY ON SUPPLY CHAIN 6
activities happens through the ports of America where billions of dollars go through the port
each month. Port security is, therefore, a key factor in the united states of American and needs to
be enhanced no matter what. Supply chain movement depends so much on the port security to be
efficient and safe. America due to the importance of global supply chain after the 9/11 attack
came up with the homeland security department which had a role of maintaining security in the
country. an army from the department is stated with the responsibilities of maintaining port
security for the efficient supply chain. On the other hand, the united states also came up with
container initiative which was meant to prevent any terrorist attack via the container shipping
method (Knutsson, & Lindberg, 2018). All the containers before taken to America have to be
screened and investigated nit to be used by the terrorist to attack the country. the border security
concept is also part of maintaining port security. The concept is implemented by the homeland
security department in connection with the custom border protection. The global partners to
ensure safe and productive supply chain and have secure ports have put different programs in
place (Knutsson, & Lindberg, 2018).

IMPACT OF PORT SECURITY ON SUPPLY CHAIN 7
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