WSC head slams US box screening law

THE US law signed by president Bush last week requiring 100 per cent of US-bound containers to be scanned in foreign ports by 2012 is not only unworkable but will never be implemented because of potential bilateral repercussions, according to the head of the World Shipping Council (WSC), Christopher Koch.

In an interview with Singapore Business Times Mr Koch said: “The idea that we're going to have 100 per cent container inspection - meaning both radiation and non-intrusive inspections of every box loaded on every ship destined for the US by 2012 - is unworkable. It's not realistic and it's not going to happen.”

Mr Koch said that the law “'avoids many, if not all, practical real-world problems” associated with implementing such a requirement. This oversight is “inappropriate”, and what happens between now and 2012 “is anyone's guess”, he said.

The WSC head said he anticipates that should the US indicate it will go ahead with implementing the law, its trading partners will immediately demand that it reciprocate by scanning 100 per cent of its export containers. Currently, the US scans virtually none of these containers and is unlikely to ever do so, WSC pointed out in a recent statement.