In its report on US-bound cargo coming through Canada the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) hinted that Prince Rupert may not be a secure port for use, and now the Prince Rupert Port Authority is disputing that claim.
In its report, the FMC noted that there are “58 operational Container Security Initiative (CSI) ports that pre-screen more than 86 per cent of United States destined containerized cargo;
Vancouver, Montreal and Halifax are CSI ports, Prince Rupert is not”. The port authority says that any suggestion that Canadian ports are less secure than those in the US is “misinformed”.
“We strongly reject the study's subtle suggestions that security at Prince Rupert's gateway is anything less than world-class," said Prince Rupert Port Authority president and CEO Don Krusel.
According to the port authority Prince Rupert is not part of the US-led Container Security Initiative that was launched in 2001 because it wasn't constructed until 2007 and was built with best-in-class security measures from day one. Fairview was the first facility in North America to scan the unique radioactive signature of every container to confirm its contents immediately upon discharge, while Canada Border Service Agents conduct random and selective screening and use x-rays at the dock as well as destuffing at Quickload to ensure container security.
As for the rest of the report, Krusel said it was good to see the commission agreed there was no wrongdoing in the operation of Canadian ports.
“The study is correct in concluding that carriers shipping cargo through Canadian and Mexican ports violate no U.S. law, treaty, agreement, or FMC regulation," said Krusel.
"As the Canadian government acknowledged in its official submission, Canada and the U.S. enjoy the most successful bilateral trading relationship in the world. Canadian port authorities are mandated to operate autonomously, in an environment free of government subsidies. We believe that this competitive landscape prospers both our nations."