State-Of-The-Art Container Security System To Help Better Protect Cargo, Homeland At Port Of Oakland
GE Security, Inc., a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of the General Electric Co., recently announced a deployment of its CommerceGuard container security system at the Port of Oakland, the United States' fourth busiest port for containerized goods. CommerceGuard is a leading solution for global supply chain security and helps protect against the potential for theft, smuggling, international terrorism and other threats during transport.
The Port of Oakland loads and discharges more than 99 percent of the containerized goods moving through Northern California, the nation's fourth largest metropolitan area. CommerceGuard helps to monitor and secure the containers that are equipped with its container security devices (CSDs). The system sends automated alerts to appropriate authorities when a reader indicates that the container was opened without authorization while in-transit.
"The Port of Oakland is pleased to see our customers using advanced technologies like CommerceGuard to increase the efficiency and security of goods arriving in Northern California," said Mike O'Brien, port facilities security officer for the Port of Oakland. "The Port of Oakland applauds GE Security for taking a leadership role to deploy this CSD technology and helping in the efforts to ensure global security for supply chains."
"Cargo in the global supply chain is vulnerable to theft, smuggling, product tampering and terrorism. CommerceGuard plugs a significant gap in today's security measures because it provides in-transit intrusion detection," said Randy Koch, president and CEO, CommerceGuard AB, and general manager of cargo security for GE Security. "With this installation by customers of CommerceGuard's advanced tracking and detection system, the Port of Oakland joins CommerceGuard's growing international network of ports helping to keep cargo, our country and the world's shipping lanes more secure."
The CommerceGuard CSD is mounted inside a container as it is being loaded for shipment to monitor for, and report on, potential en route tampering or damage. While in transit, CSDs communicate securely with fixed and handheld readers. The readers then forward encrypted security and tracking information wirelessly to the global CommerceGuard Information Network where it is accessible by authorized shippers, port authorities and other officials via the Internet. Automated warnings are also routed to appropriate authorities, when warranted.
Oakland joins more than 20 leading ports where the CommerceGuard network is installed, including Port Everglades (Fla.), the Port of Portland (Ore.), the Port of Virginia and the Port of Antwerp in Belgium.
Commercially available today, the CommerceGuard System, including the CSD and Information Network, is available worldwide through a global business collaboration consisting of GE Security, Mitsubishi Corporation , Samsung Corporation , and Siemens Building Technologies . CommerceGuard is adding an important layer of in-transit security and visibility to intermodal freight shipments. The CommerceGuard Information Network is globally established in many seaports around the world, and is scheduled for additional deployments throughout 2007.
About the Port of Oakland
The Port of Oakland oversees the Oakland seaport, Oakland International Airport and 19 miles of waterfront. The Oakland seaport is the 4th busiest containerport in the U.S.; Oakland International Airport offers more than 200 daily non-stop flights to 41 domestic and international destinations; and the Port's commercial real estate includes Jack London Square, Oakland's premier entertainment spot along the waterfront. The Port of Oakland was established in 1927 and is an independent department of the City of Oakland. Web site: www.portofoakland.com.
About CommerceGuard
GE Security, Mitsubishi Corporation, Samsung Corporation, and Siemens Building Technologies jointly own the CommerceGuard container security solution. CommerceGuard features the first market-ready container security device (CSD) that is located inside an intermodal cargo container and registers door openings. The CSD communicates with fixed and handheld readers to send alerts of security breaches and to record shipment status in the CommerceGuard Information Network, where data is accessed at no additional charge by customers and government officials from anyplace in the world.
About GE Security
GE Security, a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of the General Electric Company, is a leading supplier of security and life safety technologies, with operations in more than 35 countries and $1.8B in annual sales. GE Security offers one of the industry's broadest product portfolios, covering explosives and narcotics detection, intrusion and access control, video surveillance, key management, and fire detection. GE Security's products are used to protect people and property across a wide range of industries, including aviation, law enforcement, banking, education, healthcare, mass transit, residential and retail.
GE Security was honored with Frost & Sullivan's 2007 Global Market Leadership Award for Container Security Devices for its CommerceGuard container security solution. For more information about GE Security and our products, please visit www.gesecurity.com.
GE Security, making the world safer.
SOURCE: GE Security, Inc.